Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio s Birdlife Vol. 37, No. 4 Summer 2014

Transcription

1 Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio s Birdlife Vol. 37, No. 4 Summer 2014

2 An Ohio breeder, this Great Crested Flycatcher paused while gathering nesting material for this study by Victor Fazio III on 06 Jun at Pickerel Creek. On the cover: This Cattle Egret chose a beautiful setting for a lovely portrait by photographer Christopher Collins on 26 Jul on Cedar Point Drive, Erie.

3 Vol. 37 No. 4 Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio s Birdlife EDITOR Craig Caldwell 1270 W. Melrose Dr. Westlake, OH craig_caldwell@sbcglobal.net PHOTO EDITOR Laura Keene laurakeene@cinci.rr.com LAYOUT Roger Lau rognceleste@gmail.com CONSULTANTS Mike Egar Victor Fazio III Rob Harlan Andy Jones Laura Peskin Bill Whan OHIO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE Paul Gardner Secretary 295 Acton Road Columbus, OH psg0708@gmail.com PAST PUBLISHERS John Herman ( ) Edwin C. Pierce ( ) PAST EDITORS John Herman ( ) Edwin C. Pierce ( ) Thomas Kemp ( ) Robert Harlan ( ) Victor W. Fazio III ( ) Bill Whan ( ) Andy Jones ( ) Jill M. Russell ( ) ISSN

4 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 COMMENTS ON THE SEASON By Craig Caldwell Jun was wetter than average, with a rainfall total in the top 20 of the 120 years with records. Only the south-central counties rains were near normal. The central counties and a few small pockets elsewhere received up to triple their usual amounts and the rest of the state had up to double its average. Average and maximum temperatures were also above normal, though not so dramatically. They ranked at numbers 94 and 74 of the 120, respectively. Jul was a complete reversal. Statewide, the rainfall amount was near the bottom quartile. Parts of the northeast did have up to triple their usual rain, and a narrow band from Dayton to Columbus received up to double its average, but the rest of the state had as little as 10% of normal rainfall. Both the average and maximum temperatures were the third lowest on record. (Neighboring Indiana experienced its coldest Jul ever.) The minimum temperature was the 11th lowest. Weather data are from the National Weather Service ( and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and-precip/maps.php. (This citation was omitted in the spring Ohio Cardinal.) This summer was the first in which the results of the emerald ash borer invasion were really apparent. Bare or nearly bare ashes were widespread. Many cities and individual homeowners cut dead and dying trees, leaving empty yards. Will the uncut snags in larger parks and forests prove a bonanza for woodpeckers as native boring insects take up residence? If so, secondary cavity nesters should also benefit, though that s at best a very thin silver lining on an otherwise very dark cloud. Scott Pendleton provided this from Harrison: Also, a short grassland report. The uppies appear to be expanding their breeding area as I found them in two places they were not seen before. Vespers were way down this year, everything else is holding steady. No dickcissels after having them for two years. The grasslands area is changing rapidly as four wells have been drilled and four more are slated to be drilled and they are strip-mining about a square mile of it. None of this activity affects the main breeding area. Elliot Tramer conducts point count surveys in OOP- MP and wrote me, Veery, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird and Hooded Warbler in Oak Openings Metropark these neotropical migrants seem to be declining in the park, possibly due to a combination of adverse management activities there (e.g., clearing undergrowth from sections of mature forest) and an overabundance of deer a browse line is very apparent in many areas of the park. I welcome contributions like these from readers who have intimate knowledge of a local patch. Please tell me about trends in yours! This issue of the Cardinal has accounts of 247 species and two hybrids, plus eight entries at the genus or family level. The first two numbers are typical for their categories. I ve been slowly increasing the number of more general entries compared to previous issues. Accounts of 10 review species and one review genus are included. Reports of three of them (Western Grebe, Fish Crow, and Common Raven) had insufficient data for evaluation and so will not be part of the formal record. Mississippi Kite, Piping Plover, and Eurasian Collared-Dove had both documented and undocumented reports. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plegadis sp. Ibis, Black Rail, Purple Gallinule, and Western Kingbird sightings were all well documented. The Records Committee and I are grateful to the observers who provided documentation. Documenting a rarity is easy: Just go to ohiobirds.org/records/documentation.php. Internet postings, even with photographs, can only supplement formal reports, not replace them. Data for the following Species Accounts come from reports submitted directly to the Cardinal, reports submitted to The Bobolink, ebird ( ebird), the Ohio-birds listserv ( maillist/oh), rarebird.org ( default.asp), and the Cincinnati Bird Sightings Log ( In the species accounts, normal early and late dates are from Harlan et al., Ohio Bird Records Committee Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Ohio, Breeding ranges and isolated locations are from Harlan et al. and from Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II submissions. Taxonomic order and nomenclature follow the Check- List of North American Birds, 7th Edition (1998) as updated through the 55th Supplement (2014). This document is published by the North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithologists Union and is available at php. County names are in bold italics. Locations whose counties are of the same name, for example Ashtabula (city) and Delaware Wildlife Area, usually do not have the counties repeated. County names for sites described in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus are also omitted. Shortened names or initials are used for locations and organizations which occur repeatedly; these abbreviations are listed here. The term fide is used in some citations; it means in trust of and is used where the reporter was not the observer. Abbreviations: Armleder Park = a Cincinnati city park on the Little Miami River, Hamilton BBS = the North American Breeding Bird Survey, a joint project of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Berlin Lake = Berlin Lake, Mahoning and Portage Big Island = Big Island Wildlife Area, Marion Blendon Woods = Blendon Woods Metro Park, Franklin The Bowl = a limited-access area near the Harrison airport. BRAS = Black River Audubon Society Buck Creek = Buck Creek State Park, Clark Caesar Creek = Caesar Creek State Park, mostly Warren and a bit in Clinton CCE = Crane Creek Estuary, Lucas and Ottawa, 146

5 viewable from both ONWR and the CCE Trail which originates at Magee CLNP = Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve (the former Dike 14), Cuyahoga Conneaut = the mudflats to the west of Conneaut Harbor, Ashtabula CNC = Cincinnati Nature Center, Clermont CP = County Park CPNWR = Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge, Lucas CVNP = Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Cuyahoga and (mostly) Summit Darby Creek = Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, Franklin Deer Creek = the State Park is in Pickaway, the Wildlife Area is in Fayette, and Deer Creek Lake is in both but mostly Pickaway East Fork = East Fork State Park, Clermont East Harbor = East Harbor State Park, Ottawa Edgewater = the Edgewater unit of Cleveland Lakefront Metroparks, Cuyahoga Ellis Lake = the semi-official name of ponds, wetland, and woods in Butler, not to be confused with the reservoir of the same name in Wyandot Fernald = Fernald Preserve, Butler and Hamilton Findlay Reservoirs = several contiguous water bodies east of town in Hancock Frohring Meadows = Frohring Meadows, Geauga Funk = Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area, Ashland and (mostly) Wayne Gilmore Ponds = Gilmore MetroPark (formerly Gilmore Ponds Preserve), Butler Great Miami WMB = Great Miami Wetland Mitigation Bank, Montgomery Headlands = Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve, Headlands Beach State Park, and adjoining waters, Lake Holden = Holden Arboretum, Lake (except its Stebbins Gulch unit which is in Geauga) Hoover NP = Hoover Nature Preserve, several non-contiguous areas around the north end of Hoover Reservoir, Delaware Hoover Reservoir = the northern 80% is in Delaware, but the dam is in Franklin Jones Preserve = Jones Preserve on Long Point, Kelleys Island, Erie Kelleys Island = the island and adjoining waters, Erie Killbuck = Killbuck State Wildlife Area, Holmes and Wayne Killdeer = Killdeer Plains State Wildlife Area; a bit is in Marion but it s mostly in Wyandot LaDue = LaDue Reservoir, Geauga Lake Erie Bluffs = Lake Erie Bluffs Metropark, Lake Lake Hope/Zaleski = Lake Hope State Park and surrounding Zaleski State Forest, Vinton Lorain = the dredge spoil impoundment east of downtown in the city and county of the same name, unless otherwise noted Lost Bridge = a Great Miami River crossing on Lawrenceburg Road near Elizabethtown, Hamilton, where a covered bridge was lost to fire in 1903 m. obs. = Multiple Observers Magee = the boardwalk and immediate vicinity in Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas, unless otherwise Vol. 37 No. 4 noted. The northern third of the causeway is also in Lucas, the rest in Ottawa. Maumee Bay = Maumee Bay State Park, Lucas, unless otherwise noted Medusa = Medusa Marsh, Erie, an informally named and privately owned area between Sandusky and Bay View Metzger = Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Mill Creek = Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, a limited-access area in Mahoning Mohican = Mohican State Forest and State Park. Many trails cross the boundaries so some reports include sightings from both. Mohican SF = Mohican State Forest, Ashland Mohican SP = Mohican State Park, (mostly) Ashland and (slightly) Richland Mosquito Lake = Mosquito Creek Lake, also called Mosquito Creek Reservoir, Trumbull. Mosquito (Creek) Wildlife Area adjoins it. MP = Metro Park, MetroPark, or Metropark depending on the system NC = Nature Center Nimisila = Nimisila Reservoir, Summit NP = Nature Preserve, except as part of CVNP OBRC = Ohio Bird Records Committee OOPMP = Oak Openings Preserve MetroPark, Lucas ONWR = Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Lucas and Ottawa ONWR Blausey = a unit of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge which is separate from the refuge s main body, in Ottawa. Pickerel Creek = Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area, Sandusky Pickerington Ponds = Pickerington Ponds Metro Park, Fairfield and Franklin Pipe Creek = Pipe Creek Wildlife Area, Erie RBA = Rare Bird Alert Riverside NA = Riverside Natural Area, a preserve along the Great Miami River in Hamilton, Butler, which includes some upland as well Rocky Fork = Rocky Fork State Park, Highland Sandy Ridge = Sandy Ridge Reservation, Lorain Shawnee = Shawnee State Forest, Scioto, unless otherwise noted Shawnee Lookout = Shawnee Lookout County Park, Hamilton Sheldon s Marsh = Sheldon s Marsh State Nature Preserve, Erie SNP = State Nature Preserve SF = State Forest SP = State Park Springville Marsh = Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve, Seneca SWA = State Wildlife Area WA = Wildlife Area Wendy Park = a lakeshore Cleveland park, Cuyahoga Wilderness Road = a road which traverses Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area, Wayne, and adjoining farmland The Wilds = a limited-access big-mammal breeding and research facility in Muskingum, also used generically to include the surrounding reclaimed Ohio Power strip mines Willow Point = Willow Point Wildlife Area, Erie Winous Point = Winous Point Shooting Club, Ottawa 147

6 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 SPECIES ACCOUNTS By Craig Caldwell Black-bellied Whistling-Duck The OBRC has some internet reports from Trumbull. Canada Goose The high count was 830; Andrew Mashburn found them at Conneaut on 01 Jun. The largest concentration away from Lake Erie was the 300 which Doug Overacker saw in Buck Creek on 24 Jul. Seventy-nine counties produced reports. Mute Swan Two locations shared the high count of five, Firestone-Yeagley WA, Columbiana, on 07 Jul (Catherine Horrocks) and Big Island on 17 Jul (Steve Jones). Seventeen counties had sightings. Trumpeter Swan Ed Pierce s ONWR census team counted 29 on 06 Jul (fide Douglas Vogus), and others reported smaller double-digit numbers there throughout the season. The most elsewhere were at Big Island, where Irina Shulgina found 14 on 31 Jul. Reports came from 13 counties. Wood Duck Gary Cowell s 75 at Big Island on 25 Jul was the high count. Sixty-three counties provided sightings. Gadwall The four reports are: One male at Sandy Ridge on 01 Jun (Patricia McKelvey) Three females at Pickerel Creek on 04 Jun (Victor Fazio III) One male at Fernald from 17 Jun to 23 Jul (m. obs.) An apparent pair at Mosquito Lake SP on 04 Jul (David Hochadel) Eurasian Wigeon Paula and Tom Bartlett discovered a lone male by Riddle Road, Sandusky, on 01 Jun. It apparently moved to Pickerel Creek, where one was reported on several dates from 04 to 18 Jun (m. obs.). According to Victor Fazio III it is Ohio s first summer record. American Wigeon Victor Fazio III saw the last of the northbound birds along County Road 34, Seneca, on 19 Jun. Jen Brumfield found one which had likely just arrived from Canada at Pipe Creek on 18 Jul. Two at Lorain on 02 Jul (Victor Fazio III) could have been traveling either direction or hanging around for the summer, though there were no other sightings there in the interval between the aforementioned reports. The high count was eight on 04 Jun at Pipe Creek, again by Victor Fazio III. Sightings also came from Butler, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Wayne. American Black Duck Sightings were scarce until 10 Jul and fairly regular thereafter. The high count was 18, at East Harbor on 25 Jul (Andrew Cannizzaro), and others reported up to 16 there on other dates. No other location had more than four. Nine other counties also contributed sightings. Mallard Victor Fazio III counted 247 at East Harbor on 30 Jun. More triple-digit counts came from other Ottawa sites, Lake, Lorain, Sandusky, and Seneca. The largest inland count was Su Snyder s 186 along Wilderness Road on 06 Jun, and the highest number in the southern half of the state was by Christopher Collins 82 at the Great Miami WMB on 08 Jun. Sixty-seven counties produced reports. [American Black Duck x Mallard] Single hybrids were winkled out at Riddle Road, Sandusky, on 13 Jun (Victor Fazio III), Coe Lake, Cuyahoga, on 06 Jul (Stephanie Willemin), and Cleveland harbor on 21 Jul (Donna K. Owen). Blue-winged Teal Fernald hosted eight on 20 Jul for Tracy Cambron. Twenty-two counties had sightings. Following a record number of spring sightings, a summer visit by this Eurasian Wigeon was documented on 04 Jun by Victor Fazio III at Pickerel Creek. Northern Shoveler Sightings were scattered in space and time: One or two at Darby Creek for most of Jun (m. 148

7 obs.) and one there on 28 Jul (Ronnie Clark) One at Armleder Park on 02 and 05 Jun (m. obs.) Apparently mated pairs at three Sandusky locations on 06 Jun, 14 Jul, and 27 Jul (Paul Sherwood) One at Lorain on 05 Jul (Elizabeth McQuaid) and 07 Jul (Sandra Griffiths) Three at Slate Run MP, Pickaway, on 06 Jul (Gene Stauffer) Green-winged Teal Ben Warner and Anna Wittmer saw 16 at Pipe Creek on 29 Jul. The second-highest number was nine, at Willow Point on 21 Jun (Jen Brumfield). Thirteen counties produced sightings. Canvasback Rob and Sandy Harlan saw a straggler at Lorain on 01 Jun, and it or another flew past Rita Schneider there on 07 Jun. Redhead The reports are: Up to four seen at Lorain throughout the season (m. obs.) One at Lake Alma SP, Vinton, on 01, 02, and 04 Jun (Alex Eberts) One at Sheldon s Marsh on 06 Jun (Amy Didion) and 26 Jun (Donel Jensen) Two at Magee on 22 Jun (James Cunningham) One along County Road 34, Seneca, on 02 Jul (Victor Fazio III) One, apparently injured, in South Russell, Geauga, on 05 Jul (Stanley Plante) One at East Harbor on 24 Jul (Don Keffer) Ring-necked Duck Gary Cowell noted the last northbound bird in Lexington Community Park, Richland, on 06 Jun. Lorain hosted the first southbound arrivals, two on 05 Jul (Elizabeth McQuaid), and occasional sightings through the end of the season. Lorain also provided the high count of four, on 01 Jun (m. obs.). The other sightings were of singles along the Clinton towpath, Summit, on 02 and 03 Jun (Marsha Gilger) and at Deer Creek SP, Pickaway, on 17 Jul (Melanie Shuter). Greater Scaup Many birders saw one lingering at Lorain on 01 and 02 Jun. Matthew Sabatine found another at Pymatuning SP, Ashtabula, on 11 Jun. Nancy Anderson reported a seriously delayed bird at Euclid Creek Reservation, Cuyahoga, on 21 and 29 Jun. Lesser Scaup Elizabeth McQuaid and Donna K. Owen saw two on the lower Cuyahoga River in Cleveland on 05 Jun. One or two spent from May to 15 Vol. 37 No. 4 Jul at Lorain (m. obs.). Doug Overacker s single at Buck Creek on 22 Jul was the latest sighting. Other reports of singles came from Clinton, a second Lorain site, East Harbor, and Pickaway. Aythya sp. Duck Regarding the five preceding species at Lorain, Rob Harlan wrote, I cannot imagine that five species of Aythya ducks have ever been at the same location in Ohio in June before! Hooded Merganser Donna Kuhn found 24 at Fernald on 14 Jun, and others reported nearly that many there on other dates. The most elsewhere were 13, mostly immatures, which Paul Hurtado counted at the Hoover Reservoir dam on 06 Jul. Reports came from 28 counties. Common Merganser A six mile float along Cross Creek, Jefferson, produced six, including a family, for Scott Pendleton. A hen with six young thrilled observers at Conneaut from mid-jun through the end of the season and occasionally a solo male also appeared there. Single birds at CVNP on 09 Jun (Rita Schneider) and along the Cleveland breakwall on 28 Jun (m. obs.) were just passing through. Red-breasted Merganser Tim Krynak s three at the Wellington Upground Reservoir, Lorain, on 07 Jun was the high count. Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Geauga, and Ottawa also provided reports whose dates spanned the season. Ruddy Duck A few were seen here all season, scattered in 14 counties. Lorain had the high count of eight, on 20 Jul (m. obs.). Northern Bobwhite Kim Warner saw a few at a private property in Lucas beginning on 06 Jun, and her sightings peaked with a female and 14 young on each of 25 and 26 Jul. The most elsewhere were 10 at Springfield Bog, Summit, on 03 Jun. Rob Harlan noted that they were recently released and added that they might have a chance if the winter is mild. Eleven other counties also produced sightings. Ring-necked Pheasant B.J. Homan heard at least five calling at Darby Creek on 28 Jun. Smaller numbers were reported there and in 18 other counties. Ruffed Grouse The reports are: One along Pipe Creek Road, Belmont, on 11 Jun (Sandie Myers) 149

8 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 One in Woodbury WA, Coshocton, on 16 Jun (Laura Dornan) One on 17 Jun and another on 20 Jun at different Harrison locations (Sean Fitzgerald); the second was drumming at 2pm in 90 degree heat. One at Shawnee on 20 Jun (Kent Miller) One at The Wilds on 18 Jul (Sandie Myers) Wild Turkey Three hens and 24 youngsters pleased Jeanne Hrenko at Chagrin River Park, Lake, on 03 Jul. Don Keffer found five adults and 14 young in Mosquito WA on 29 Jul. Forty-six counties produced reports. Red-throated Loon One hung around off Kelleys Island between 04 and 10 Jun (fide Tom Bartlett). Common Loon Gary Cowell saw two at Willard Reservoir, Huron, on 30 Jul. The only other sighting that month was also Gary s, one at Bressler Reservoir, Allen, on 25 Jul. Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Jefferson, and Stark had solo birds in Jun. Pied-billed Grebe Big Island contributed many reports in the 15 to 35 range, which Charles Bombaci topped with 66 birds on 11 Jul. The most elsewhere were 12 at Pipe Creek on 21 Jun (Jen Brumfield) and 15 at ONWR on 01 Jun (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Twenty counties had sightings. Horned Grebe Tim Krynak saw one at the Wellington Upground Reservoir, Lorain, of both 07 and 09 Jun. Lynne and Nik Shayko found another at Lorain on 03 Jul. Western Grebe One internet report, without details, came from Lake. Double-crested Cormorant The Jones Preserve shore hosted 275 on 02 Jun (Tom Bartlett). The inland high count was 200, in Campbell Memorial Park, Franklin, on 20 Jun (James Muller). American White Pelican Peggy Blair counted 36 over the Magee Migratory Bird Center on 05 Jun. Perhaps they hung around; up to 34 were seen at East Harbor and other Ottawa and Lucas sites from 16 Jun through the end of the season. American Bittern The reports are: One heard or seen at Darby Creek on many dates from 01 Jun until 19 Jul (m. obs.) One heard at Big Island on 05 Jun (Ron Sempier) 150 One in the Honda Wetlands, Franklin, on 19 Jun (Irina Shulgina) Two flyovers at the Hancock Sanitary Landfill on 04 Jul (Shane Myers and Robert Sams) One at Penitentiary Glen Reservation, Lake, on 17 Jul (Cole DiFabio) One at Younger s Wetlands/Bright Farm, Hancock, on 27 Jul (Jeff Loughman and Robert Sams) One flyover at ONWR on 31 Jul (fide Becky Cullen) Least Bittern The high count was four which were flying about the Mallard Club WA, Lucas, on 29 Jul (fide Becky Cullen). Counts of two were shared. Many birders reported them at Darby Creek between 10 and 21 Jul; Dave Chase found his along the Wake Robin Trail, Lake, on 15 Jul. Reports also came from Butler, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Hamilton, Marion, Ottawa, Pickaway, Richland, Seneca, Union, and Wayne. Great Blue Heron Ron Sempier estimated 125 at Big Island on both 03 and 29 Jul. The 06 Jul ONWR census team counted 91, the second-highest number (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Crawford, Gallia, Jackson, Monroe, Noble, Pike, Putnam, and Ross did not have sightings. Great Egret The two highest counts came from ONWR, 169 during the 06 Jul census (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus) and 210 on 11 Jul (Nicholas Sly). Andrew Cannizzaro found 25 at Gilmore Ponds on 03 Jul, the most away from Lake Erie. Thirty-nine counties contributed sightings. Victor Fazio III viewed 15 American White Pelicans on 20 Jun at Meadowbrook Marsh, Ottawa, and managed to include over half of them in this image. Snowy Egret ONWR produced counts of up to 30; that number came during the 06 Jul census (Ed Pierce et al.,

9 fide Douglas Vogus). The most elsewhere were four at Magee s Migratory Bird Center on 05 Jun (Peggy Blair) and along the Magee causeway on 26 Jun (Helen and Ken Ostermiller). One or two were at sites in Erie as well. Singles at Conneaut on 08 Jun (m. obs.) and Cowan Lake, Clinton, on 12 Jun (Allan Claybon) were the only other sightings away from the northwestern marshes. Little Blue Heron Loren Hintz found an adult at Pickerington Ponds on 22 Jul. Cattle Egret Six locations provided sightings, listed here chronologically: One along County Road 142, Logan, on 09 Jun (Margaret Bowman and Blake Mathys) One along the Magee causeway between 18 and 22 Jun (m. obs.) One or two in or near the Sulfur Brook (Pipe Creek) estuary, Erie, from 15 to 31 Jul (m. obs.) Two along the Cedar Point Chausee, Erie, on 27 Jul (Chris Zacharias) Four by Bardshar Road, Erie, also on 27 Jul (Jeff Harvey) One along the walking pool trail at ONWR on 31 Jul (Tom Bartlett) Green Heron Andrew Cannizzaro counted 12 at Gilmore Ponds on 03 Jul; 10 were still there two days later. J. W. Rettig also found 10, at Fernald on 12 Jul. Reports came from 67 counties. Black-crowned Night-Heron Tom Bartlett found 11 in the Ottawa section of ONWR on 31 Jul while setting up for a shorebird banding session. The high count away from the northwest marshes was three; several observers saw them on the Great Miami River at Deeds Point, Montgomery, on 11 and 17 Jul. Butler, Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Hamilton, Lorain, Lucas, and Portage also contributed sightings. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron The tiny colony on Preston Road in Columbus apparently has winked out; the last sighting even near it was in late May. This season s sole report came from the Mohican SP covered bridge area, where Bob and Sara Crist saw an immature bird on 29 and 31 Jul. Plegadis Ibis sp. The one internet report might have enough details for OBRC evaluation. Black Vulture Hallie Mason gave us the high count, 61 at a Vol. 37 No. 4 canoe livery near Mohican SP on 12 Jul. Stefan Mozu Gleissbird found about 45 at a carcass by the Hocking River in Athens on 29 Jul. Jon Cefus contributed the northernmost sighting, a single bird soaring over Sippo Lake, Stark, on 26 Jul. Reports came from 33 counties. Turkey Vulture Terri Martincic saw about 80 in Hinckley Reservation, Medina, on 26 Jul. Only Monroe, Noble, Pike, Putnam, and Shelby did not produced sightings. Osprey Two nests along the northeast shore of Hoover Reservoir each held a chick, and seven adults were in the vicinity as well, on 29 Jun (Charles Bombaci). The Plain Dealer of 07 Jun printed a report from Eddy Pausch, Assistant Refuge Manager, that a nest in ONWR Blausey hatched two birds. Forty-one counties provided reports. Mississippi Kite The OBRC has an internet report with photos from Clermont; others from Cuyahoga, Hamilton, and Summit have no details. Bald Eagle Conneaut continues to host the big concentrations; Bob Lane counted 43 there on 01 Jul. The most elsewhere were eight, seen by Deb Tefft in CPNWR on 05 Jul and by Donna Kuhn and Lisa Phelps along Wilderness Road on 19 Jul. Fifty-three counties had sightings. Kings of the Conneaut sandspit, these Bald Eagles were photographed on 26 Jun by Bob Lane. Northern Harrier Reports were scattered throughout the season. Tom Bartlett saw two birds cross Springville Marsh on 22 Jun, traveling separately northeast to southwest. Solo birds were seen in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Harrison, Lake, Lucas, Montgomery, Ottawa, Paulding, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Vinton, Wayne, and Wood. Sharp-shinned Hawk The only multiple sighting was Ryan Gniewecki s duo near his Mahoning home on 11 Jul. Twenty-three counties produced singles. 151

10 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 Cooper s Hawk Four locations each produced four birds; two of the quartets were nests with young. Reports came from 54 counties. Red-shouldered Hawk Gabriel Amrhein found six in the United Plant Savers Sanctuary, Meigs, on 22 Jun. Fifty counties provided reports. Broad-winged Hawk The high count was three; Ken Andrews saw them while walking two miles of trails in the Bedford Reservation, Cuyahoga, on 04 Jul. Many observers found two in the 35 contributing counties. King Rail Jon Cefus, Sandra Griffiths, and Su Snyder heard and then saw an apparent pair at Killbuck on 02 Jun. Photographer Su Snyder snapped a gratifying image of this King Rail on 02 Jun at Killbuck. This Broad-winged Hawk allowed photographer Ron Sempier a close approach on 21 Jul at Alum Creek Reservoir, Delaware. Red-tailed Hawk Mary Warren was able to bird the restricted NASA Plum Brook Station, Erie, on 11 Jul, and found seven there. Three other locations each produced six for other observers. All but a dozen counties provided reports. Black Rail A pair spent at least from 08 to 14 Jun at a Fresno, Coshocton, farm and produced a family there. Jacob Roalef and Su Snyder provided excellent documentation for the OBRC. The Henry Troyer Jr. family welcomed birders to their farm in Coshocton for an elusive Black Rail, documented by Jacob Roalef on 10 Jun. Virginia Rail The Honda Wetlands, Franklin, showcased an adult and five chicks on 23 Jun (Alex Eberts, Irina Shulgina). Seventeen counties produced sightings. Sora This high count was also six, consisting of four adults and two young in the Great Miami WMB on 08 Jun (m. obs.). Reports came from 14 counties. Purple Gallinule Ron Sempier documented the continued presence of the Big Island visitor on 03 Jun. (See the spring Ohio Cardinal). Common Gallinule Charles Bombaci noted several families totaling 35 birds at Big Island on 11 Jul. The most elsewhere were nine which Deb Tefft saw at ONWR Blausey on 27 Jul. Other Ottawa sites and Erie, Franklin, Geauga, Lorain, Lucas, Pickaway, Union, Wayne, and Wyandot also provided sightings. American Coot Charles Bombaci again saw families on 11 Jul at Big Island; he counted 60 birds. Elizabeth McQuaid s 35 at Lorain on 27 Jul was the second-highest number. Reports also came from Auglaize, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Lucas, Ottawa, Pickaway, and Summit. Sandhill Crane Matt Hogan and Donna Kuhn separately reported 27 along Wilderness Road on 26 Jun; others saw smaller double-digit numbers there and at other parts of Funk. Carlton Graff s six in the Ottawa section of Magee on 13 Jun was the most elsewhere. Colts, some very young, were reported in Geauga, Muskingum, Ottawa, 152

11 Pickaway, and Wayne. Seventeen counties in all produced sightings. American Avocet Amy Didion saw the season s first, at Willow Point on 01 Jul. Three or four were at Conneaut on several dates and 14 were there on 13 Jul (m. obs.). The highest count elsewhere, shared by three sites, was three. Chuck Slusarczyk, Jr., saw that many at Euclid Beach, Cuyahoga, on 07 Jul; Mike Smith did so at East Harbor on 15 Jul; and several birders found them below the Hoover Reservoir dam on 26 Jul. Delaware, Geauga, Lorain, Lucas, Sandusky, Tuscarawas, and Wyandot also contributed reports. Vol. 37 No. 4 Piping Plover Internet reports and the accompanying photo from Ashtabula may in sum be thorough enough for OBRC evaluation. Another internet report, from Lake, probably is not. A visit by this multi-banded Piping Plover was successfully documented by Bob Lane at Conneaut on 23 Jul. This American Avocet warily eyed a Bald Eagle flying overhead on 02 Jul at Conneaut and Bob Lane captured this image. Black-bellied Plover The reports are: Two in the Lucas section of ONWR on 01 Jun (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus) Four at Funk on 02 Jun (Sandra Griffiths and Su Snyder) Three which circled but didn t land at Conneaut on 30 Jul (Bob and Denise Lane) American Golden-Plover David Gesiki and Mark Rozmarynowycz found the only one of the season in a restricted part of CPNWR on 30 Jul. Semipalmated Plover The last of the spring migrants were three at Conneaut (Chris Swan) and one in the CCE (Kim Warner) on 08 Jun. Cory Chiappone and Cole DiFabio saw the first southbound arrival, at Headlands on 14 Jul. Gilmore Ponds hosted about 55 on 04 Jun (Andrew Cannizzaro) and the second-highest count of 20 was shared by Conneaut on 23 Jul (Roger Redmond) and Killdeer on 26 Jul (Tyler McClain). Twenty-one counties had sightings. Killdeer Several counts were in the 100s, with the highest being Melanie Shuter s 245 at Deer Creek WA, Pickaway, on 10 Jul. Reports came from 77 counties. Spotted Sandpiper Shane Myers and Robert Sams found 31 at the Findlay Reservoirs on 13 Jul. Fifty-five counties produced sightings. Solitary Sandpiper The last northbound bird paused for Chris Swan at Conneaut on 08 Jun; only one earlier Jun sighting preceded it. Victor Fazio III saw the first southbound one at Lorain on 02 Jul. Don Keffer noted 18 at Grand River WA, Trumbull, on 25 Jul. Thirty-eight counties provided reports. Greater Yellowlegs Paul Sherwood saw three by County Road 219, Sandusky, on 06 Jun, the last of the surely northbound migrants. The one which Chris Swan saw at Conneaut on 22 Jun was either a straggler heading north or a southbound pioneer. Ten at Willow Point (Elizabeth McQuaid) and one at Funk (Su Snyder) on 04 Jul were surely newly arrived from Canada. East Harbor hosted 30 on 23 Jul for Carlton Schooley. Steve Jones saw the most away from Lake Erie, six at Killdeer on 24 Jul. Twenty-one counties provided sightings. Willet One over Cleveland Hopkins Airport on 04 Jun was the last heading north (Edward Kamposek) and one at Conneaut on 24 Jun was probably headed the other way (Chris Swan). Cory Chiappone and 153

12 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 Cole DiFabio found 12 at Headlands on 30 Jun and Conneaut hosted five on several Jul dates. Erie, Lake, Lorain, and Ottawa also produced sightings. Lesser Yellowlegs One was with its Greater cousins by County Road 219, Sandusky, on 06 Jun (Paul Sherwood). On 02 Jul Chris Swan again saw two of the earliest southbound birds at Conneaut and birders saw between 14 and 21 at Willow Point the same day. East Harbor hosted about 300 on 21 and 22 Jul (m. obs.); at least 120 remained by 24 Jul (Don Keffer). The high count elsewhere was 49 by Victor Fazio III along Riddle Road, Sandusky, on 22 Jul. Thirty counties produced reports. Yellowlegs sp. The latest spring and earliest fall dates listed above notwithstanding, one indeterminate bird at Darby Creek on 06 Jun (Carl Winstead) and two at Willow Point on 01 Jul (Amy Didion) might hold those honors. Upland Sandpiper Three locations in Harrison provided sightings: Four near the county airport on 07 Jun (Eli M. Miller) Five at the Second Reclaim District on 10 Jun (Scott Pendleton) Up to five at The Bowl on several dates between 04 and 26 Jul (Gary Bush, Sandie Myers, Scott Pendleton) Whimbrel The reports are all from Conneaut, two on 20 Jul (the Lanes), two on 28 Jul (Jacob Roalef) and one on 29 Jul (Chris Swan). Marbled Godwit Conneaut also produced the only godwit sightings; Nancy Anderson, Bob Krajeski, and Jacob Roalef each reported two there on 12 Jul. Ruddy Turnstone The only Jun sightings were on 01 Jun, singles by Bob Lane on the Magee beach and in ONWR by Ed Pierce s census takers (fide Douglas Vogus). The next report didn t arrive until 19 Jul, when Steve Jones found the only far-inland bird at Alum Creek SP, Delaware. The high count was three, shared by Jacob Roalef at Conneaut on 28 Jul and Bev Walborn at East Harbor on 29 Jul. Camp Perry (Ottawa) and Wood each also contributed one sighting. Red Knot Becky and Jeffrey Cullen found two at the Camp Perry beach, Ottawa, on 25 Jul. Stilt Sandpiper The first sightings came on 03 Jul. Bob Krajeski and the Lanes saw one at Conneaut; Doreene Linzell and Dan Sanders found another at Willow Point. East Harbor produced various numbers in Jul with the highest being 11 on 29 July (Ben Warner and Anna Wittmer). Tyler Mc- Clain s five at Killdeer on 26 Jul were the most elsewhere. Hamilton, Hancock, Lorain, and Wayne also had sightings. Conneaut featured a fine variety of shorebirds for Bob Lane on 03 Jul, including this well-posed Stilt Sandpiper. Sanderling Wendy Becker saw the last two of these wave-chasers heading north, at Darby Creek on 01 Jun. Six weeks later, a 15 Jul BRAS field trip noted three pausing on their way south at Sandy Ridge. Mark Moore found 13 at Conneaut on 23 Jul. Becky and Jeffrey Cullen s six at Camp Perry, Ottawa, on 25 Jul was the second-highest count. Additional reports came from Clermont, Clark, Delaware, and Lake. Dunlin The reports are: Two in the Lucas section of ONWR on 01 Jun (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus) One at Maumee Bay, also on 01 Jun (Victor Fazio III) One (Craig Holt) and two (Chris Swan) at Conneaut on 03 Jun Six in the CCE on 08 Jun (Kim Warner) Baird s Sandpiper Ben Warner and Anna Wittmer saw the first, at East Harbor on 22 Jul. Becky Cullen saw two at Maumee Bay on 29 Jul. Singles also showed up in Ashtabula, Franklin, Hancock, and Seneca. Least Sandpiper Chris Swan saw one at Conneaut on 03 Jun 154

13 before it headed out over Lake Erie. Two in a flooded field in Franklin on 15 Jun could have been going either way (Ronnie Clark). The solos at Willow Point (Jen Brumfield) and Conneaut (Bob Krajeski) on 21 Jun had probably just arrived from the north. They were pioneers, as the next sightings didn t happen until 03 Jul. That s when Bob Krajeski counted 20 at Conneaut and Rick Asamoto another by the Great Miami River in Montgomery. Fields along County Road 34, Seneca, held 145 when Victor Fazio III counted them on 22 Jul. Reports came from 41 counties. White-rumped Sandpiper These six were reported: Two at Armleder Park on 02 Jun (Kirk Westendorf) One at Gilmore Ponds on 04 Jun (Andrew Cannizzaro) One along Wilderness Road on 12 Jul (the Ostermillers) Two at the Lucas wastewater treatment plant on 22 Jul (Deb Tefft) Pectoral Sandpiper Steve Jones saw the earliest arrivals, six at Willow Point on 05 Jul. Carl Winstead made the high count of 18 at Deer Creek WA, Pickaway, on 29 Jul. Twenty-four counties contributed sightings. Semipalmated Sandpiper Most if not all of the 22 which Chris Swan found at Conneaut on 08 Jun soon headed north, but he also saw a straggler or independent traveler there between 14 and 18 Jun. One at Pipe Creek (Donna Kuhn) and 12 at Willow Point (Elizabeth Mc- Quaid) on 04 Jul were southbound. Victor Fazio III counted 104 at East Harbor on 21 Jul; 75 were still there the next day (Ben Warner and Anna Wittmer). The most elsewhere were Jen Brumfield s 40 at Burke Lakefront Airport, Cuyahoga, on 26 Jul. Thirty-one counties provided sightings. Western Sandpiper David Hochadel and Don Keffer independently noted one consorting with Semipalmated Sandpipers at Mosquito Lake SP on 05 Jun. Short-billed Dowitcher Three parties noted the first on 02 Jul. The Lanes and Chris Swan saw one at Conneaut, Chris Pierce and Victor Fazio III found another at Lorain, and several birders saw two at Willow Point. East Harbor contributed the high count of 75 on 22 Jul (Ben Warner and Anna Wittmer). The highest number away from the northwest marshes was 49 at Sandy Ridge on 23 Jul (Patricia McKelvey). Reports came from 20 counties. Long-billed Dowitcher The first appeared on 19 Jul at East Harbor Vol. 37 No. 4 (Kim Warner) and Killdeer (Cody M. Kent). At least one was seen daily thereafter at East Harbor, with Jeff Harvey s eight on 27 Jul the high number. These were the only two locations with reliable reports; Long-billeds are very scarce in summer. Dowitcher sp. Amy Didion s two at Willow Point on 01 Jul were almost surely Short-billed and beat the first-sighting date above. The 15 which Elizabeth McQuaid saw at East Harbor on 27 Jul no doubt included Jeff Harvey s eight Long-billed and may have eclipsed that number. Wilson s Snipe Sightings were scattered throughout the season. The high count was six. Joshua Eastlake saw that many at Lake Waynoka, Brown, on 01 Jun, and Scott Huge matched him at Grand River WA, Trumbull, on 20 Jul. Geauga, Lake, Marion, Summit, and Wyandot also provided reports. American Woodcock Triples were the high counts. They were by Kirk Westendorf at Armleder Park on 06 Jun, James Muller at Glacier Ridge MP, Union, on18 Jun, and Brian Wulker in the Miami Whitewater CP wetlands, Hamilton, on 01 Jul. Twenty-one counties had sightings. Wilson s Phalarope Seven were reported: Four at East Harbor on 23 Jul (R. Lee Reed) One at Lorain on 27 Jul (John Pogacnik) Two at Darby Creek on 28 Jul (Ronnie Clark) Red-necked Phalarope East Harbor provided sightings of up to three between 22 and 24 Jul (m. obs.) Bonaparte s Gull Andrew Cannizzaro estimated more than 450 at East Harbor on 26 Jul. The inland high count was 138 at the Findlay Reservoirs on 29 Jul (fide Robert Sams). Nineteen counties, mostly northern but including Clark and Clermont, contributed reports. Little Gull Andrew Cannizzaro was able to photograph one of these rare summer visitors at East Harbor on 26 Jul. Unfortunately, though the photo clinched the identification, it won t reproduce well for inclusion here. Laughing Gull Reports of single birds came throughout the season. Sites in Ashtabula, Erie, Logan, Lorain (2), Lucas (2), Richland, and Warren hosted them. Franklin s Gull The Lanes saw one at Headlands on 15 Jun. 155

14 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 Ring-billed Gull Victor Fazio III estimated 5400 at Headlands on 23 Jul. The second-highest count was 915 off Kelleys Island on 21 Jul, also by Victor. The largest inland concentration was of about 300 at Alum Creek SP, Delaware, on 19 Jul (Robert Batterson, Steve Jones). Reports came from 39 counties. Herring Gull Lorain held about 1400 on 02 Jul, and second-best Headlands had about 260 on 09 Jul (both Victor Fazio III). The most inland were 25 in Woodlawn Cemetery, Lucas, on 27 Jun (m. obs.) and 20 at Alum Creek SP, Delaware, on 18 Jul (Robert Batterson). Twenty-eight counties provided sightings. Lesser Black-backed Gull Cole DiFabio forwarded a report of one at Headlands on 07 Jul. Victor Fazio III saw another on a piling at the Marblehead Ferry pier, Ottawa, on 21 Jul. Great Black-backed Gull John Whittaker saw one at Veterans Memorial Park, Lorain, on 15 Jun, and reports of one or two in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Lake, and Lorain continued for the rest of the season. The only count exceeding two was Nancy Anderson s 11 at Headlands on 09 Jul. Caspian Tern Jeff Harvey saw 50 at East Harbor on 27 Jul. Edward Ingold counted 31 at Lake Mosier, Hancock, on 29 Jul for the inland high number. Twenty-three counties produced reports. Black Tern Frank Frick and Jay Lehman found three and four, respectively, at Fernald on 08 Jun. East Harbor held one or two between 23 and 25 Jul (m. obs.) Singles were found at two other Ottawa locations and in Erie, Logan, Lucas, and Wayne. Common Tern Victor Fazio III saw more than 1000 at East Harbor on 21 Jul; other observers found only about 200 there on other nearby days. The most elsewhere were 90 at Willow Point on 02 Jul (Paul Sherwood and Victor Fazio III). The highest inland count was six at Hoover NP on 25 Jul (Robert Batterson, Steve Landes). Fourteen counties, of which Delaware, Logan, and Harrison are the southernmost, had sightings. Forster s Tern Reports were steady through the first week of Jun and then numbered near zero until restarting on 30 Jun and continuing through the rest of the season. The only report during that gap was by Loren Hintz, who found three at Willow Point on 18 Jun. East Harbor provided yet another high count, 290 on 21 Jul (Victor Fazio III). Jessica Mc- Quigg s 115 along the CCE Trail on 27 Jul were the most elsewhere, while Brian Menker s 26 at Buck Creek on 01 Jun was the inland high. Eleven counties produced reports; of them Clark, Clermont, and Hamilton are south of mid-state. Rock Pigeon Shane Myers and Robert Sams counted 190 at the Hancock sanitary landfill on 04 Jul, the highest of several triple-digit reports. All but a dozen counties provided sightings. Eurasian Collared-Dove Several observers provided formal reports for the OBRC We thank them! Those by Paul Gardner of a sighting in Clark, by Donna Kuhn in Wayne, and by Troy Shively in Mercer were accepted and were more fully described in the previous issue of the Cardinal. Some of the internet reports from those counties and from Ashland have enough detail for evaluation but others from Licking, Paulding, and Pike do not. Mourning Dove Brian Wulker noted 175 at Fernald on 12 Jul and 110 there ten days later; these were the two highest counts. Next highest was 83 by Heather Luedecke and Angelika Nelson along their New Dover BBS route in Union on 28 Jun. Every county but Guernsey, Monroe, and Noble had at least one sighting. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Two and a half miles of Brough Road, Harrison, yielded nine for Sean Fitzgerald on 19 Jun. There were two counts of six: Scott Pendleton floated about three miles of Cross Creek, Jefferson, on 01 Jun, and Steve Jones found his while kayaking eight miles of the Scioto River in Marion on 15 Jun. Reports came from 68 counties. Black-billed Cuckoo Observers found three in OOPMP on 12 Jun and there were several reports of two there and elsewhere. Twenty-three counties produced sightings. More often heard than seen, this Black-billed Cuckoo at Marblehead Lighthouse SP, Ottawa, revealed itself on 04 Jun for Victor Fazio III. 156

15 Barn Owl These were reported: Up to three at the Pickerington Ponds nest box on several dates (m. obs.) Three in the Dundee area, Tuscarawas, on 06 Jun (Dick Hoopes) One which was calling as it flew over Columbia Woods Park, Summit, after dark on 14 Jun (Rob Harlan) One which flew over the Wellston, Jackson, Mc- Donald s on 14 Jun (Alex Eberts) Up to three seen by ebirders at Amish farms in Holmes on several Jun dates; multiple locations appear to be included Bob Lane viewed a lovely family of freshly banded nestling Barn Owls in their box on 06 Jul in Holmes. Eastern Screech-Owl Tom Kemp counted four in the Beaver Creek area of Wood on 26 Jun. Fifteen other counties also yielded reports. Great Horned Owl The 01 Jun ONWR census tallied three (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Chris Pierce heard two in his Cuyahoga yard at about 5:00 am on 25 Jun. Twenty-one counties provided sightings. Barred Owl Sarah Lawrence saw two and heard three more in Blacklick Woods MP, Fairfield, on 19 Jun. Three days later, Michael Lamont also found five there. Tom Frankel found five as well in Holden on 22 Jun; they were a family of three near one nest and two immatures at another. Thirty-four counties produced sightings. Common Nighthawk Elliot Tramer, who a few years ago began calling these the Uncommon Nighthawk, wrote that they were now a disaster species in the Toledo area. He saw only one all summer. John Shrader had more success; he spotted seven in Miamisburg, Montgomery, on 05 Jul. Reports came from 30 counties. Vol. 37 No. 4 Chuck-will s-widow We can reliably find them along Ohio Brush Creek in Adams; Waggoner Riffle Road parallels it and provides several vantage points. Reports of one or two there spanned Jun. Elsewhere, Bruce Simson saw one and heard another at Lake Hope/Zaleski on 11 Jul. Eastern Whip-poor-will On 09 Jun, Matt Anderson wrote from OOP- MP: 17! all within park boundaries the undisputed whip-poor-will capital of NW (maybe all of northern) Ohio! Is there anywhere else in NW Ohio that they can be found reliably? I d say nowhere else in the whole state. The highest counts elsewhere were threes in Lawrence on 06 Jun (Philip Runyon) and in Hocking on 08 Jun (Robb Clifford). Ones and twos were also reported in Adams, Medina, Meigs, Scioto, and Vinton. Chimney Swift Ann and Dwight Chasar counted 105 entering a school chimney in Northfield Center, Summit, on 05 Jul. Chris Zacharias noted about 80 over the Great Miami River in Montgomery on 29 Jul. Eighty counties provided sightings. Ruby-throated Hummingbird Allen Chartier banded 15 at a station near Frazeysburg, Muskingum, on 13 Jul. Ginny Fantetti reported on 28 Jul from her Clermont home that she was Going through over 2 cups of sugar water a day. Could be more than 13 birds hard to count. Seventy-six counties yielded reports. Belted Kingfisher Charles Bombaci saw eight along the northeast shore of Hoover Reservoir on 29 Jun, including a pair at their burrow. Doug Marcum also saw eight while canoeing seven miles of the Cuyahoga River in Geauga on 01 Jul. Sixty-three counties produced reports. Irina Shulgina astutely captured a view of a roosting Common Nighthawk at Kiwanis MP, Franklin, on 28 Jul. 157

16 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 Red-headed Woodpecker Members of a Detroit Audubon Society field trip counted 16 in their travels through OOPMP on 21 Jun. Counts between 10 and 15 came from Clermont, Seneca, and Vinton. Sixty-four counties had sightings. Red-bellied Woodpecker Sixteen was again the high count, but a shared one. Doug Overacker found them along his 20 mile BBS route in Greene on 14 Jun and Bill Stanley s were in the Cincinnati Nature Center s Rowe Woods, Clermont, on 28 Jun. The second-highest count was 10 along the CVNP Towpath Trail (Douglas Vogus et al.). Reports came from 80 counties. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Aaron Boone heard one s distinctive territorial drumming in Tippecanoe, Harrison, on 14 Jun. Jeff Harvey and the Lanes discovered a family four in Thompson Ledges Township Park, Geauga, on 06 Jul. More reports came from other Geauga sites and Ashtabula, Lake, and Portage. Downy Woodpecker Tom Bartlett noted 20 in Springville Marsh on 22 Jun. All but seven counties provided reports. Hairy Woodpecker CVNP s Horseshoe Pond and the Tree Farm Trail hosted 18 for William Addis on 21 Jun. Nola Miller-Brasure saw the next-highest number, five, in Tinkers Creek SNP, Portage, on 14 Jun. Sixty-five counties produced sightings. Northern Flicker Woodlawn Cemetery, Lucas, held 12 on 01 Jun and 16 on 26 Jun (Tim Haney). The most elsewhere were 10 on 31 Jul along four miles of Towpath Trail in the Cuyahoga section of CVNP (Ken Andrews). Eighty counties produced reports. Arthur Forman, Sr. captured this rare view of a Northern Flicker s tongue in Warren, Trumbull, on 29 Jul. Pileated Woodpecker Six locations in five counties each hosted four. Reports came from 63 counties. American Kestrel Andrew Cannizzaro counted eight at the Kilby Road gravel pits, Hamilton, on 07 Jun. Richard Green noted six in the vicinity of Philo High School, Muskingum, on 14 Jul. Matt Kemp tied him on 26 Jul when he saw six working a newly-mown field in Lucas. Sixty-six counties provided sightings. Merlin Jen Brumfield saw an early arrival cruising through the Rocky River Reservation, Cuyahoga, on 31 Jul; it was being harassed by swallows and swifts (and probably returning the insult). Peregrine Falcon The high count was three, a family at the Ottawa courthouse on 15 Jul. Fifteen counties had sightings. Olive-sided Flycatcher Many more than usual, all singles, were found this summer: In CLNP on 01 Jun (m. obs.) In Lake View Cemetery, Cuyahoga, on 05 Jun (Dick and Jean Hoffman) Along the Zimmerman Trail, Lake, on 06 Jun (Tom Frankel) At her Delaware home on 07 Jun (Maria Losey) In Punderson SP, Ashtabula, on 13 Jun (Dick Hoopes) At Lake Hope/Zaleski on 05 Jul (Bruce Simpson) In Sharon Woods MP, Franklin, on 30 Jul (James Holsinger) Eastern Wood-Pewee Gabriel Amrhein counted 20 along the Buckeye Trail in Perry on 23 Jun. Rachele Kappler noted 15 along the CVNP Wetmore Trails on 27 Jun. Only seven counties produced no reports. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Tom Bartlett s crew banded three and saw another in Jones Preserve on 02 Jun. Ryan Schroeder and Paul Sherwood saw the latest at Mud Lake SNP, Williams, on 13 Jun. Singles in Ashland, Franklin (2), Hamilton, and Hocking between 01 and 10 Jun completed the sightings. Acadian Flycatcher The Harlans found at least 25 in Mohican SP on 01 Jun. Reports came from 65 counties. Alder Flycatcher Matt Anderson found one at each of four Lucas 158

17 locations on 07 Jun. Jonathan Oliveras found three in Geneva SP, Ashtabula, on 14 Jun. Twenty-one counties yielded sightings. Willow Flycatcher Lake Erie Bluffs hosted 30 on 09 Jun (Cole DiFabio). Irina Shulgina counted 25 in Killdeer on 20 Jul. Sixty-two counties produced reports. Tom Fishburn caught the attention of this Willow Flycatcher at Margaret Peak Preserve, Lorain, on 02 Jun. Alder/Willow ( Traill s ) Flycatcher Several observers reported three which they declined to assign to a species. Nineteen counties hosted these enigmatic (and presumably silent) birds. Least Flycatcher Marsha Gilger watched two adults feeding a youngster along the CVNP Towpath Trail on 31 Jul. Mark Shaver and Tom Kaczynski also found three apiece, in Swine Creek Reservation, Geauga, on 01 Jun and at Holden on 04 Jun respectively. Twenty-one counties provided reports. Empidonax sp. Flycatcher Reports at this level came from 29 counties; two of them were each of eight empids. Eastern Phoebe Three locations on four dates each held nine. Seventy-six counties had sightings. Great Crested Flycatcher Charles Bombaci found 12 along Hoover Reservoir s northeast shore on 29 Jun. Seventy-two counties produced sightings. Western Kingbird One spent 08 and 09 Jun at Glacier Ridge MP, Union. Steve Landes and Carl Winstead s documentation has been accepted by the OBRC and internet reports are pending. Eastern Kingbird Kelleys Island was hopping on 21 Jul Victor Vol. 37 No. 4 Fazio III found 38 of these feisty birds there. The 01 Jun ONWR census counted 29 (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Reports came from 77 counties. White-eyed Vireo Speaking of hopping Charles Bombaci found 13 of these in Blackhand Gorge SNP, Licking, on 06 Jun. Fifty-eight counties produced reports. Bell s Vireo Ned Keller and Ted Ossage separately reported three at the Kilby Road gravel pits, Hamilton, on 01 Jun, where they ve nested for a couple of years now. Reports of one or two came from Clark, Erie, Franklin, Marion, Pickaway, Wood, and Wyandot. Yellow-throated Vireo Scott Huge s eight miles of kayaking on the Cuyahoga River in Geauga yielded 11 on 04 Jul. Fifty-seven counties provided sightings. Blue-headed Vireo These were scarce as usual, but seen all through the season. Locations in Ashland, Geauga, Lucas, and Summit hosted two; those counties also contributed singles as did Cuyahoga, Lake, and Portage. Warbling Vireo Kelleys Island provided the two highest counts, 25 on 20 Jun (Tom Bartlett et al., Victor Fazio III) and 31 on 21 Jul (Tom Bartlett et al.). Censuses in ONWR on 01 Jun (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus) and CVNP on 07 Jun (Douglas Vogus et al.) each tallied 24. Sixty-four counties produced sightings. Philadelphia Vireo Mary Ann Henderson saw one at the mouth of the Rocky River, Cuyahoga, on 01 Jun. Sandra Griffiths found another that same day on the Route 303 Bike and Hike trail, Summit. Irina Shulgina discovered and well documented this rare Western Kingbird on 08 Jun at Glacier Ridge MP, Union. Red-eyed Vireo There were several double-digit reports from Mo- 159

18 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 hican; the largest was Gary Cowell s 23 in the SP lodge area on 04 Jul. The most elsewhere were 20 along the Towpath Trail in CVNP on 07 Jun (Douglas Vogus et al.). Reports came from 79 counties. Blue Jay David and Dorothy Bukovac counted 64 in Green Lawn Cemetery, Franklin, on 28 Jun. The second-highest number was Gabriel Amrhein s 21 in the United Plant Savers Sanctuary, Meigs, on 22 Jun. Gallia, Monroe, Noble, Pike, and Putnam had no reports. American Crow Five miles of travel in Scioto yielded 78 for Travis Skaggs on 10 Jul. Sightings came from all counties except Monroe, Noble, Paulding, Pike, Putnam, and Shelby. Fish Crow The one report, from Cuyahoga, had no details. Common Raven One was reported in Belmont without details. Horned Lark Gary Cowell found 50 in Kendrick Woods-Kiracote Prairie, Allen, on 25 Jul. A mile of Serringer Road in Crawford produced 27 for Paul Sherwood on 23 Jul. Forty-nine counties had sightings. Purple Martin Victor Fazio III counted 108 at Kelleys Island on 21 Jul. Scott Pendleton s 60 in the Chambers Wetlands, Harrison, on 24 Jul was the second-highest number. Sixty-four counties provided reports. Tree Swallow Though the date seems a little early for migration massing, Deb Tefft found about 500 at CPNWR on 05 Jul. Only seven counties produced no sightings. Northern Rough-winged Swallow Elliot Tramer noted at least 300 in Farnsworth MP, Lucas, on 22 Jul. Goodyear Heights MP, Summit, hosted more than 100 on 22 Jun (Vicky Croisant). Reports came from 73 counties. Bank Swallow David Hochadel wrote, 500 at Mosquito WA on 7-20 increased to 2060 on Observers directly to the north at Conneaut on Lake Erie noted a corresponding decrease on 7-20, suggesting the start of their southward migration from the large nesting colonies along the big lake. Elizabeth McQuaid and Donna K. Owen had counted 554 in one Conneaut colony on 09 Jul. The most elsewhere were 250 along River Drive, Pickaway, on 10 Jul (Gene Stauffer). Fifty-two counties had sightings. Cliff Swallow Charles Bombaci saw about 125 along the northeast shore of Hoover Reservoir on 06 Jul. Fifty-two counties provided reports. Barn Swallow Victor Fazio III noted on 08 Jul a mass feeding frenzy of swallows all over [East Harbor]; bulk of swallows along lake Erie shoreline were this species. His count was 830. Victor also contributed the second-highest number, 312 at Kelleys Island on 12 Jul. Only seven counties did not produce sightings. Swallow sp. Several observers noted mixed flocks of 100 to 150 birds. On 31 Jul, J.W. Rettig saw at least 200 swallows at the East Fork beach. He wrote, Thousands of insects were flying about and lying dead on the sand, grass, parking lot and water. Birds were landing on the sand and parking lot and eating insects. Carolina Chickadee The high count was 21, by Charles Bombaci in Hoover NP s Area N on 05 Jun. Fifty-seven counties provided sightings. Black-capped Chickadee Victor Fazio III counted 31 during his six hours on Kelleys Island on 21 Jul. The second-highest count, 13, was shared by Tom Bartlett et al. (Kelleys Island on 20 Jun) and the Chasars (CVNP Horseshoe Pond area on 21 Jun). Maria Losey thoroughly described one which visited her feeder in Delaware on 07 Jun. That s well south of the fairly broad overlap zone between Blackcapped and Carolina chickadees which approximately tracks U.S. 30 across the state. Reports came from 29 counties. This Northern Rough-winged Swallow offered Victor Fazio III a good study opportunity at Metzger on 01 Jun. 160

19 Chickadee sp. Ashland, Columbiana, Hancock, Jefferson, Richland, Stark, and Wayne contributed sightings which couldn t be confirmed as either species. Indeed, some might have been hybrids. All but Jefferson are in the overlap zone described above. Tufted Titmouse A trio of birders found 20 at Headlands on 31 Jul. Seventy-eight counties had sightings. Red-breasted Nuthatch A private lakeside in Madison hosted three on 27 Jul (Cole DiFabio). The only other report that month was Matt Anderson s single in OOP- MP on 04 Jul. Tim Krynak and Terri Martincic found two in Hinckley Reservation, Medina, on 23 Jun. Singles were also sighted in Cuyahoga, Lake, Ottawa, Portage, and Summit. White-breasted Nuthatch Tom Frankel tallied 11 at Holden on 22 Jun. Two locations each held eight, the second-highest count. Reports came from 77 counties. Brown Creeper Doug Marcum found five along seven miles of the Cuyahoga River in Geauga on 01 Jul. Jennifer Caley found a nest in her Portage yard on 09 Jun. Sites in Ashland, Butler, Cuyahoga, Lucas, Mahoning, Medina, Summit, and Wayne also contributed sightings of one or two birds. House Wren Victor Fazio III saw three families and singles for a total of 40 throughout Kelleys Island on 21 Jul and other large counts came from there as well. The most elsewhere were 25 along the Heart of Ohio Trail, Knox, on 22 Jun (Gary Cowell and Anna Wittmer). Seventy-nine counties produced reports. Winter Wren Haans Petruschke found three territories in the Kirtland, Lake, area. The Ledges/Octagon area of CVNP is a reliable site; one or two were reported there on several dates (m. obs.). Sedge Wren The Harlans had found at least three singing males at Springfield Bog, Summit, by 13 Jul. Several birders found two birds there later in Jul. Jeffrey A. Miller saw one and heard up to three on several dates between 28 May and 17 Jun along County Road 272, Holmes. Other doubles came from Darby Creek on 26 Jun (Jen Moore) and 14 and 28 Jul (Ronnie Clark). Clark, Hamilton, Lucas, Marion, Sandusky, and Seneca contributed singles. Vol. 37 No. 4 Marsh Wren Chris Pierce counted 24 along the ONWR auto tour route on 22 Jun. ONWR and other nearby marshes had smaller double-digit reports on several other dates. The high count elsewhere was Elizabeth McQuaid s 10 at Lorain on 05 Jul. Twenty-eight counties provided sightings. This Marsh Wren carrying a feast was photographed on 10 Jul by Irina Shulgina at Darby Creek. Carolina Wren Philip Sherick found 11, including an apparent family group, along the Old Post Road, Scioto, on 20 Jul. Seventy counties produced reports. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher The Station Road area of CVNP hosted 18 on 17 Jun (Jules Wyman). The 07 Jun CVNP census team counted 13 along a different stretch of the Towpath Trail (Douglas Vogus et al.) and three parties each found 12 in CVNP and elsewhere. Seventy-one counties provided reports. Ruby-crowned Kinglet Ed Wransky found one lingering in Carlisle Reservation, Lorain, on 01 Jun. Eastern Bluebird Cole DiFabio s 20 at Holden on 01 Jun included 14 juveniles. Holden later provided two counts of 14 (Cole DiFabio, Cory Chiappone), as did the Nye farm in Hancock on 10 Jun (fide Robert Sams). Reports came from 77 counties. Veery The Harlans found at least 10 in Mohican SP on 01 Jun, and the CVNP Wetmore Trails held nine on 19 Jun (Hope Orr). Twenty-six counties had sightings. Swainson s Thrush The three reports are: In the Miami Whitewater Forest wetlands, Hamilton, on 01 Jun (Ted Ossage) At her Lucas home on 04 Jun (Cathy Wilson) At the Germantown MP nature center, Montgomery, on 18 Jun (Amanda Lawson) 161

20 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 Hermit Thrush Robb Clifford found three at Sandy Delta, Hocking, on 08 Jun. Ones and twos were in Ashland, Cuyahoga, and Summit. Wood Thrush Gabriel Amrhein noted 20 in the United Plant Savers Sanctuary, Meigs, on 22 Jun and 25 along the Buckeye Trail in Perry the next day. Seventy-one counties provided sightings. American Robin Tom Bartlett and Victor Fazio III et al. counted 220 across Kelleys Island on 20 Jun. Heather Luedecke and Angelika Nelson found 111 along their BBS route in Union on 28 Jun. Only Gallia, Monroe, and Noble did not have sightings. Gray Catbird The high count was 40. It was shared by Ed Pierce s ONWR census crew on 01 Jun (fide Douglas Vogus), Cody M. Kent at Lake Erie Bluffs on 09 Jun, and Irina Shulgina at Killdeer on 27 Jun. All counties but Gallia, Meigs, Monroe, Noble, Pike, and Putnam produced reports. Brown Thrasher Scott Pendleton et al. counted 15 in The Bowl on 26 Jul. The second-highest count was Ron Sempier s eight at Killdeer on 25 Jun. Reports came from 70 counties. Northern Mockingbird Heather Luedecke and Angelika Nelson s New Dover BBS route, Union, yielded 12 on 28 Jun. Three locations each held nine. Sixty-four counties provided sightings. European Starling Flocks at the Findlay Reservoirs and Riverbend Recreation Area, Hancock, totaled over 800 on 29 Jul (fide Robert Sams). Scott Myers estimated 700 along Township Highway 71, Paulding, on 23 Jul. Monroe, Noble, and Pike had no sightings. Cedar Waxwing The high count was 83, tallied by Ed Pierce et al. in ONWR on 01 Jun (fide Douglas Vogus). The shared second-highest count was 60. Charles Bombaci saw them along the northwest shore of Hoover Reservoir on 01 Jun; Kevin Lee found his feasting on blueberries at Rouster s Apple House, Clermont, on 05 Jul. They were reported in all but seven counties. Ovenbird The Harlans found 20 in Mohican SP on 01 Jun. Bruce Simson counted 12 in Lake Hope/Zaleski on 08 Jun. Forty-seven counties provided reports. Worm-eating Warbler Bruce Simson found seven in Lake Hope/Zaleski on 05 Jul; they included a family of two adults and an immature. That county (Vinton), Ashland, and Hocking produced many sightings. Adams, Athens, Butler, Fairfield, Harrison, Highland, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, and Scioto each contributed a few. Louisiana Waterthrush The Mohican SP gorge is home to many; Kenn Kaufman found nine pairs there on 06 Jun including parents feeding two juveniles. Thirty-three counties had sightings. Northern Waterthrush The reports of these rare nesters are: One in ONWR on 01 Jun, almost surely a migrating straggler (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus) One singing in Mosquito WA on 07 Jun (David Hochadel) One along the Maple Highlands Trail, Geauga, on 06 Jul (Scott Huge) One in Lake View Cemetery, Cuyahoga, on 31 Jul (Dick and Jean Hoffman) Golden-winged Warbler Sara Burch and Jacob McCartney watched one singing in a clear cut on Long Ridge Road, Vinton, on 01 Jun. Blue-winged Warbler The high count was eight, by Matt Anderson in OOPMP on 09 Jun. Three parties found five. Nathan Farnau s were at a private site in Columbiana on 01 Jun; the Chasars and Sandra Griffiths found theirs in the CVNP Horseshoe Pond area on 21 Jun; and Bruce Simpson s were in Lake Hope/Zaleski on 03 Jul. Reports came from 34 counties. [Blue-winged x Golden-winged Lawrence s Warbler] Albert L. and Sarah Troyer saw one at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary, Richland, on both 21 and 28 Jun. Black-and-white Warbler The trails in the Hocking section of Clear Creek MP hosted four on 04 Jul (Andrew Lodge) as did Lake Hope/Zaleski on 15 Jul (Bruce Simpson). Seventeen counties provided reports. Prothonotary Warbler Charles Bombaci tallied 24 along Hoover Reservoir s northwest shore on 01 Jun and 23 along the northeast shore on 06 Jul. The most elsewhere were the 11 which Scott Huge saw while paddling eight miles of the Cuyahoga River in Geauga on 04 Jul. Twenty-five counties produced sightings. Tennessee Warbler David Hochadel saw one in Grand River WA, 162

21 Trumbull, on 20 Jul, and Don Keffer saw it there on 25 Jul. Nashville Warbler Sandie Myers found a straggler at Tappan Lake, Harrison, on 06 Jun. Mourning Warbler Two were singing in Jones Preserve on 02 Jun (Tom Bartlett) and one popped up at CVNP s Station Road the same day (Jennifer Buczek) Kentucky Warbler Ten miles of Shawnee roads produced 10 for Kent Miller on 20 Jun. Ginny Fantetti found seven at East Fork on 15 Jun. Twenty-five counties had sightings. Common Yellowthroat The Ostermillers tallied at least 50 in Tri-Valley WA, Muskingum, on 28 Jun. Irina Shulgina noted about 30 at Killdeer on 27 Jun. Only seven counties did not provide sightings. Hooded Warbler Many sites hosted between 10 and 15, but the high was 19. Gary Cowell found them in less than a mile of hiking in the Ashland section of Mohican SF on 15 Jul. Carl Winstead noted the same number along the Tulip Tree Trail of Clear Creek MP, Fairfield, also on 15 Jul. Forty-two counties produced reports. American Redstart Tom Frankel found an occupied nest and a total of 14 redstarts in Holden on 08 Jun. Forty-one counties provided reports. Cerulean Warbler Katie, Pann, and Terry Webb noted eight in and around the Miami Whitewater Forest campground, Hamilton, on 10 Jun. Reports came from 29 counties. Northern Parula Birders found four at locations in each of Ashland, Clark, Licking, and Montgomery. Thirty-three other counties also had sightings. Magnolia Warbler The Mohican SP covered bridge area hosted three on 28 Jun (Christopher Dyer and Cynthia Norris) and one or two were seen on other Jun dates. Other Jun reports of singles came from Franklin (2), Hocking, Lake, Lucas, Morgan, and Wayne. Susan Egan and Peggy Wang found one in the Hocking section of Clear Creek MP on 16, 18, and 26 Jul, the only sightings in that month. Blackburnian Warbler Four were sighted at various Mohican locations: Vol. 37 No. 4 Two in the SP on 01 Jun (the Harlans) One at the SP Gorge Overlook on 14 Jun (Michael R. Hershberger) One at the SP covered bridge on 03 Jul (Cole DiFabio) One at Hickory Ridge in the SF on 13 Jul (Gary Cowell) Yellow Warbler The ONWR census team counted 133 on 01 Jun (Ed Pierce, et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Tom Bartlett and Victor Fazio III found 126 on Kelleys Island on 20 Jun. Don Keffer s 80 at Grand River WA, Trumbull, on 25 Jul was the high count away from the northwest. Reports came from 75 counties. Chestnut-sided Warbler Sightings were fairly frequent until 15 Jul but sparse after then. The high count was 12; Chris Pierce found them along the ONWR auto tour route on 22 Jun. Matt Anderson s four in a Fulton woodlot on 01 Jun was the second-highest number. Seventeen counties yielded reports. Blackpoll Warbler The Harlans saw one straggler at the Marblehead Lighthouse, Ottawa, on 04 Jun, and Karen and Rich Kassouf another by Lake Isaac, Cuyahoga, on the next day. Black-throated Blue Warbler Michael Motsch et al. discovered two near Kendall Lake in CVNP on 06 Jun; they ve nested in that area a few times. Pine Warbler Three observers each found three. Tom Bain s were at the Mohican SF Memorial Shrine on 08 Jun, Tom Kaczynski s at Holden on both 14 and 31 Jul, and Bruce Simpson s in Lake Hope/Zaleski on 15 Jul. Fifteen counties produced sightings. Yellow-rumped Warbler Eli Miller heard one near the Tappan Lake marina, Harrison, on 07 Jun, then saw it when it came to his recording. Yellow-throated Warbler Six miles of floating down Cross Creek, Jefferson, on 01 Jun brought 16 for Scott Pendleton. Douglas Vogus et al. counted eight during the 07 Jun CVNP Towpath Trail census. Forty-five counties provided sightings. Prairie Warbler Bruce Simpson found 10 to 12 on each of six visits to Lake Hope/Zaleski between 08 Jun and 15 Jul. The most elsewhere were six at locations in Licking and Montgomery. Nineteen counties produced reports. 163

22 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 Black-throated Green Warbler The high count was six; Gary Cowell tallied them along the Mohican SP North Rim Trail on 22 Jul and again on trails in Mohican SF on 29 Jul. Other Mohican sites and CVNP hosted five. Reports came from 15 counties. Canada Warbler The Harlans took top count honors with five in Mohican SP on 01 Jun. Rob Clifford saw three in Conkle s Hollow SNP, Hocking, on 11 Jun. All of the remaining sightings, of up to three birds, were also from Mohican SP and SF, and were scattered throughout the season (m. obs.). Wilson s Warbler Scott Pendleton saw one along Cross Creek, Jefferson, on 01 Jun. Yellow-breasted Chat Bruce Simpson found 10 to 14 at Lake Hope/ Zaleski during his several Jun and Jul visits. Matt Anderson wrote from OOPMP on 03 Jul, Yellow-breasted chats as it turns out have been among the primary beneficiaries (along with Chestnut-sided warblers) of the tornado damage from four years ago. Storm-damaged parcels are just coming into their prime for chats. I ve found more than half in the tornado s path -- so far this year vs. just three a year ago. The most elsewhere were Scott Pendleton s nine during his Cross Creek, Jefferson, float trip on 01 Jun. Reports came from 47 counties. Eastern Towhee Aaron Boone counted 26 along two miles of Township Highway 289 in Harrison on 14 Jun. The Harlans found 19 in Silver Creek MP, Summit, on 16 Jun. Seventy-three counties had sightings. Chipping Sparrow Heather Luedecke and Angelika Nelson tallied 50 on 28 Jun along their Union BBS route. Tom Bartlett and Victor Fazio III found 26 on Kelleys Island on 20 Jun. Only Crawford, Gallia, Meigs, Monroe, Noble, and Washington did not produce a sighting. Field Sparrow Irina Shulgina twice found about 35, at Glacier Ridge MP, Union, on 22 Jun and at Killdeer on 27 Jun. Seventy-seven counties provided reports. Vesper Sparrow The two top counts came from Harrison: On 23 Jul Scott Pendleton found 22 in the Second Reclaim District and seven at The Bowl. The most in another county were four in the Hancock sanitary landfill on 30 Jun (Robert Sams). Twenty-six counties yielded sightings. Lark Sparrow Matt Anderson found seven pairs plus several immatures at a Lucas Christmas tree farm on 21 Jun. Several birders counted nine in OOPMP on 17 Jun. The most not in Lucas were Andrew Cannizzaro s two pairs in a field opposite Dravo Park, Hamilton, on 08 Jun. Geauga, Greene, Lorain, Montgomery, and Tuscarawas also provided reports. Lark Sparrows have discovered fine nesting habitat at Oakes Quarry Park, Greene, and one was photographed there by Leslie Sours on 13 Jun. This Eastern Towhee indulged Tom Fishburn with a perfect pose at Woodbury WA, Coshocton, on 14 Jun. Savannah Sparrow The fields along Fairport Nursery Road, Lake, hosted 15 on 31 Jul (m. obs.). Various Geauga sites held 10 to 12. Reports came from 46 counties. Grasshopper Sparrow The Bowl is The Place: 80 were there on 26 Jul (m. obs.). The most elsewhere were 34 at the Hancock sanitary landfill on 04 Jul (Shane 164

23 Myers and Robert Sams). Thirty-eight counties produced reports. Henslow s Sparrow Scott Pendleton counted 31 in the Second Reclaim District, Harrison, on 10 Jun. Mike Smith found 20 in Tri-Valley WA, Muskingum, on 24 Jul. Twenty-nine counties produced sightings. Song Sparrow The 07 Jun Towpath census in CVNP turned up 61 (Douglas Vogus et al.). Cole DiFabio estimated 50 at Lake Erie Bluffs on 09 Jun. Every county but Gallia, Monroe, and Noble had sightings. Lincoln s Sparrow A Kent State University field ornithology class winkled one out of Springfield Bog, Summit, on 01 Jun. Swamp Sparrow Tom Bartlett counted 20 at Springville Marsh on 02 Jul. Thirty counties provided reports. White-throated Sparrow Three were reported; they re scarce but fairly regular well into Jun: At Huffman Prairie, Greene, on 01 Jun (Sam Corbo) At Headlands, singing on 17 Jun (Cole DiFabio) and heard again about a week later (fide Cole DiFabio) In the Estel Wenrick Wetlands, Clark, on 27 Jun (Doug Overacker) Dark-eyed Junco John Riegsecker saw what was probably a straggling migrant at Killbuck on 16 Jun, though it could have wandered from the not-too-distant Mohican nesting area. The two high counts were of seven, by Tom Frankel at Holden on 08 Jun and Lisa Fisher at her Geauga home on 31 Jul. More reports came from other Geauga and Lake sites plus Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, and Summit. Su Snyder found this attentive Grasshopper Sparrow posed nicely near Sugarcreek, Tuscarawas, on 15 Jul. Vol. 37 No. 4 A sensational view of the typically skulky Henslow s Sparrow was obtained on 15 Jun at Tri-Valley WA, Muskingum, by Tom Fishburn. Summer Tanager Triple sightings came from Hamilton, Licking, Lucas, and Vinton. Thirty mostly southern counties produced reports. Scarlet Tanager Gary Cowell counted 10 while hiking almost four miles of Mohican SF trails on 15 Jul. Reports came from 62 counties. Northern Cardinal Douglas Vogus et al. tallied 43 along the CVNP Towpath Trail on 07 Jun. Victor Fazio III found 36 on Kelleys Island on 21 Jul. Underbirded Gallia, Guernsey, Monroe, Noble, Pike, and Putnam didn t produce a cardinal sighting. Rose-breasted Grosbeak The 07 Jun CVNP Towpath Trail census produced 10 (Douglas Vogus et al.) Jeff Harvey saw seven at his Mahoning home on 19 Jun as did Gary Cowell and Anna Wittmer along the Heart of Ohio Trail, Knox, on 22 Jun. Fifty-one counties had sightings. Blue Grosbeak Brian Wulker s five at Fernald on 21 Jul was the high count. Twenty-six counties, of which only Holmes, Lucas, and Paulding are north of Columbus, provided reports. Indigo Bunting Kelleys Island hosted 44 on 21 Jul (Victor Fazio III). The Heart of Ohio Trail, Knox, had 30 on 22 Jun (Gary Cowell and Anna Wittmer) as did Armleder Park on 13 Jul (Brian Wulker). Only Monroe, Noble, Pike, and Shelby did not have sightings. 165

24 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 Dickcissel Brian Wulker and J.W. Rettig each found 12 to 15 at Fernald on several dates. The high count elsewhere was 10; Steve Jones found them at Darby Creek on 07 Jun and Victor Fazio III on Kelleys Island on 22 Jul. Twenty-eight counties produced reports. Bobolink Scott Pendleton provided the two highest numbers, about 140 in the Second Reclaim District on 10 Jun and 125 at The Bowl on 23 Jul. The most not in Harrison were David Hochadel s 50 in Mosquito WA on 20 Jul. Forty-one counties had sightings. Female Bobolinks are not as easily noticed as their flashy male counterparts, yet Irina Shulgina captured an image of this one carrying food for its young on 15 Jun at Glacier Ridge MP, Union. Red-winged Blackbird Ben Warner and Anna Wittmer estimated 2000 at East Harbor on 29 Jul. Victor Fazio III saw about 1600 at Killdeer on 22 Jul. Every county but Gallia, Monroe, Noble, and Pike provided at least one report. Eastern Meadowlark The Second Reclaim District, Harrison, hosted 60 on 10 Jun (Scott Pendleton). Observers found 42 to 46 in the Great Miami WMB on four Jun dates. Reports came from 65 counties. Western Meadowlark Myron Yoder found one on Reuben L. Yoder s Holmes farm on 01 Jun; Reuben saw it for two more days. It or another was again heard, and sometimes seen, in that vicinity between 13 and 16 Jun (Jacob Roalef, Hallie Mason). Yellow-headed Blackbird Kim Warner discovered one in Maumee Bay SP on 15 Jul. One (possibly the same bird) showed up at Metzger the next day, according to a pseudonymous post to Rarebird.org. Common Grackle Springville Marsh held at least 1000 on 02 Jul (Tom Bartlett). Kenn Kaufman noted about 700 ready to roost along West Portage Road, Ottawa, on the evening of 06 Jul. Allen, Gallia, Monroe, Noble, and Pike did not have sightings. Brown-headed Cowbird Brian Wulker found about 100 at Fernald on 02 Jul. Mary Lou Dickson saw 50 in Canal Winchester, Franklin, on 07 Jul; Gary Cowell tied her at Malabar Farm SP, Richland, on 09 Jul. Reports came from 77 counties. Orchard Oriole The Bowl hosted 24 on 23 Jul (Scott Pendleton). The 14 at the Kilby Road gravel pits, Hamilton, on 07 Jun included one pair at a nest (Andrew Cannizzaro). Fifty-four counties provided reports. Baltimore Oriole Tom Bartlett and Victor Fazio III counted 56 on Kelleys Island on 20 Jun. The second-highest number was 16 during the 06 Jul ONWR census (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Seventy-three counties produced sightings. House Finch Andrew Anderson s feeders in Jefferson attracted about 25 on 19 and 29 Jul. Seventy-seven counties had sightings. Purple Finch Marsha Gilger saw at least six near Clinton, Summit, on 31 Jul. Counts of four came from two other Summit locations and Union. Sixteen counties provided reports. American Goldfinch Ron Sempier found about 80 at Killdeer on 25 Jun. Leslie Sours yard and adjoining properties in Franklin hosted 44 on 18 Jul. Every county but Henry, Monroe, and Noble had sightings. House Sparrow Heather Luedecke and Angelika Nelson counted 167 along their New Dover BBS route in Union on 28 Jun. Reports came from 80 counties. 166

25 Vol. 37 No. 4 CONTRIBUTORS The Species Accounts could not be written without the data provided by these contributors either directly to the Editor or by posting to an on-line venue. We thank you. William Addis Ann Chasar Tom Fishburn James Holsinger Gabriel Amrhein Dwight Chasar Lisa Fisher Craig Holt Andrew Anderson Dave Chase Sean Fitzgerald B.J. Homan Matt Anderson Cory Chiappone Arthur Foreman, Sr. Dick Hoopes Nancy Anderson Ronnie Clark Tom Frankel Katherine Horrocks Ken Andrews Allan Claybon Frank Frick Jeanne Hrenko Rick Asamoto Robb Clifford Larry Gara Scott Huge Tom Bain Christopher Collins Paul Gardner Paul Hurtado Paula Bartlett Sam Corbo David Gesiki Edward Ingold Tom Bartlett Gary Cowell Marsha Gilger Donel Jensen Robert Batterson Patrick Coy Stefan Mozu Steve Jones Wendy Becker Bob Crist Gleissbird Tom Kaczynski Black River Audubon Sara Crist Ryan Gniewecki Edward Kamposek Society (BRAS) Vicky Croisant Carlton Graff Rachele Kappler Peggy Blair Becky Cullen Richard Green Karen Kassouf Charles Bombaci Jeffrey Cullen Sandra Griffiths Rich Kassouf Aaron Boone James Cunningham Tim Haney Kenn Kaufman Margaret Bowman Detroit Audubon Rob Harlan Don Keffer David A. Brinkman Society Sandy Harlan Ned Keller Jennifer Buczek Mary Lou Dickson Jeff Harvey Matt Kemp David Bukovac Amy Didion Mary Ann Henderson Tom Kemp Dorothy Bukovac Cole DiFabio John Herman Cody M. Kent Sara Burch Laura Dornan Michael R. Kent State University Gary Bush Christopher Dyer Hershberger Field Ornithology Jen Brumfield Joshua Eastlake Robert Hershberger Bob Krajeski Jennifer Caley Alex Eberts Loren Hintz Tim Krynak Tracy Cambron Susan Egan David Hochadel Donna Kuhn Andrew Cannizzaro Reuben S. Erb Dick Hoffman Michael Lamont Jon Cefus Ginny Fantetti Jean Hoffman Dave Lancaster Allen Chartier Victor Fazio III Matt Hogan Steve Landes 167

26 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 CONTRIBUTORS Bob Lane James Muller Robert Schlabach Peggy Wang Denise Lane Sandie Myers Rita Schneider Ben Warner Sarah Lawrence Scott Myers Carlton Schooley Kim Warner Amanda Lawson Shane Myers Ryan Schroeder Mary Warren Kevin Lee Angelika Nelson Ron Sempier Katie Webb Jay Lehman Cynthia Norris Mark Shaver Pann Webb Doreene Linzell Jonathan Oliveras Philip Sherick Terry Webb Andrew Lodge Hope Orr Lynne Shayko Kirk Westendorf Maria Losey Ted Ossage Nik Shayko John Whittaker Jeff Loughman Helen Ostermiller Paul Sherwood Stepanie Willemin Heather Luedecke Ken Ostermiller Troy Shively Cathy Wilson Doug Marcum Doug Overacker John Shrader Carl Winstead Terri Martincic Donna K. Owen Irina Shulgina Anna Wittmer Andrew Mashburn Scott Pendleton Melanie Shuter Ed Wransky Hallie Mason Laura Peskin Bruce Simpson Brian Wulker Blake Mathys Haans Petruschke Travis Skaggs Jules Wyman Christine McAnlis Lisa Phelps Chuck Slusarczyk, Jr. Myron Yoder Jacob McCartney Chris Pierce Mike Smith Reuben L, Yoder Tyler McClain Ed Pierce Jim Snyder Chris Zacharias Kevin McKelvey Stanley Plante Su Snyder Patricia McKelvey John Pogacnik Leslie Sours Elizabeth McQuaid Roger Redmond Bill Stanley Jessica McQuigg R. Lee Reed Gene Stauffer Brian Menker J.W. Rettig Jeff Stone Greg Miller John Riegsecker Chris Swan Eli Miller Jacob Roalef Karin Tanquist Jeffrey A. Miller Mark Deb Tefft Kent Miller Rozmarynowycz Elliot Tramer Nola Miller-Brasure Matthew Sabatine Albert L. Troyer Jen Moore Robert Sams Sarah Troyer Mark Moore Dan Sanders Douglas Vogus Michael Motsch Kristina Schlabach Bev Walborn 168

27 Vol. 37 No. 4 RECENT ACTIONS OF THE OHIO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTE, SEPTEMBER OCTOBER, 2014 By Paul Gardner The Ohio Bird Records Committee contributes to the ornithological record of Ohio by reviewing reports of the sightings of review-list species and potential first state records. The review-list can be viewed and downloaded at org/site/committee/review.php. Since the last published report, the committee has resolved 19 reports of 10 species. All were reports of single individuals. Eighteen reports were accepted and one was not. Acceptance of a report requires approval by at least eight of the committee members. Reports receiving five to seven votes for acceptance are recirculated to the committee for up to three rounds of voting. Reports receiving less than five votes to accept are not accepted. Reports of sightings of rare birds can be documented online using a handy form at ohiobirds.org/site/committee/rarebird-submission. php. Alternatively, information can be ed to the secretary at psg0708@gmail.com. While the committee endeavors to glean reports of sightings of rarities from internet sources, some reports never come to the committee s attention, and many reports found on the internet lack sufficient details to enable review. Direct submission of reports is the only sure way to see that a sighting becomes part of Ohio s official ornithological record. The current membership of the committee is Mike Busam, Paul Gardner (Secretary), Rob Harlan, Rick Nirschl, Ed Pierce, Jay Stenger, Sue Tackett, Doug Vogus, and Bill Whan. Craig Caldwell serves as an alternate. All common and scientific names, and the taxonomic order in which the records are presented, follow the Fifty-fourth Supplement to the American Ornithologists Union Check-List of North American Birds. Records Accepted: Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus): Mercer Wildlife Area, Mercer, 25 May Documentation by Bill Kinkead; photo by Christopher Collins. Vote 9-0. Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens): Near Richwood, OH; Delaware and Union, Documentation for 03 and 06 Sep 2014 by Kathi Hutton, Steve Jones, Mandy Roberts, Andy Sewell, and Su Snyder. Vote 9-0. Second State Record. Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus): New Vienna Road, Highland. Documentation spanning 15 to 30 Aug 2014 by Allan Claybon, David Edwards, Kathi Hutton, Thomas Patt, Andy Sewell, and Justin Valentine. Vote 9-0. Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis): Holden Arboretum, Lake, 04 Jul Documentation by Cory Chia Chiappone. Vote 9-0. Ruff (Philomachus pugnax): Big Island Wildlife Area, Marion, 20 Apr Documentation by Robert Lane. Vote 9-0. Common Raven (Corvus corax): Cadiz Township, Harrison, 06 Sep Documentation by Scott Pendleton. Vote 9-0. Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe): Headlands Beach State Park, Lake, 16 Sep Documentation by Su Snyder. Vote 9-0. Fourth State Record. Kirtland s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii): Westside Cemetery, Delphos, Van Wert, 24 May Documentation by Robert Sams. Vote 8-1. Records Not Accepted: Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis): College Hill Road, Knox, 03 Sep The committee was pleased to receive this careful and well-reasoned documentation. However, the brevity of the sighting and the reported presence of King Quail (Coturnix chinensis) in the area created sufficient doubt so as to preclude acceptance. Vote 0-9. Submitted 14 Nov 2014, Paul Gardner, Secretary, OBRC White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi): Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Ottawa, 06 Aug Documentation by Kimberly Warner. Vote

28 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 DID THE MAGNIFICENT BUT THREATENED SWALLOW- TAILED KITE EVER CALL NORTHERN OHIO HOME? An Exploration back to Prehistory but Emphasizing 1835 to the Present By Laura Peskin [Editor s note: This essay was submitted to The Ohio Cardinal before the arrival of this fall s visitor to Highland County.] This essay is a glimpse into wild Northeast Ohio in the mid-19th century. It examines those who studied birds and wildlife at the time. We will see through one species, the Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus), the gradual increase over time in scientific rigor in the study of the natural world. The kite s motions are astonishingly rapid, and the deep curves which they describe, their sudden doublings and crossings, and the extreme ease with which they seem to cleave the air, excite the admiration of those who views them while thus employed in searching for food. In calm and warm weather, they soar to an immense height, pursuing the large insects called Musquito Hawks, and performing the most singular evolutions that can be conceived, using their tail with an elegance of motion peculiar to themselves. 1 When a bird as fairy-tale enchanting as the Swallow-tailed Kite is disappearing, one studies the past for lessons for the future. The kite, a small bird of prey, has been declining in range and numbers for the last 150 years. A great menace to the kite today may be the Great Horned Owl, a predator which preys on other hunters. 2 Yet the largest problem facing kites is loss of nesting habitat, the tracts of bottomland hardwoods which are among the Buckeye State s most endangered biomes. This may explain why the kite doesn t nest in Ohio today, if indeed it ever did an issue to be explored in this essay. In its current range the kite nests in cypress swamps and in natural or plantation pine habitat. Kites will nest in both mature slash pine (naturally occurring) or mature loblolly pine (planted) trees. The few states along the outer coastal plain where E. forficatus still nests South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf states west into Texas continue to lose kite habitat to development. The kite is most common in the Everglades, but common is a relative term when it comes to this species: There are fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs in North America. Some naturalists in Florida have recommended that the bird be listed as endangered. In South Carolina, it is already listed as endangered at the state level. There is a lack of evidence on whether the kite ever nested in Ohio. Swallow-tailed Kites in the prairie states have been known to nest and even winter in northern climes. Perhaps as the kites ride the wind, they are naturally drawn though wind corridors such as prairies. Those of Crawford County where E. forficatus have been past seen, are some of the few pre-columbian prairies in Ohio. Current studies of kites equipped with GPS transmitters show that northward-migrating birds occasionally overshoot their nesting range. 3 The kite has always been an erratic migrant and perhaps ranged far and wide as a non-breeding resident. Seventeen- year cicadas can attract kites. The last Cleveland area record was in 1999, a 17th year. In the new millennium, there have been about 10 E. forficatus sightings in Illinois alone, one of the states where it is accidental. 4 Bird field guides in the last 30 years have walked the line on classifying the kite as accidental or casual to Great Lakes states. Then within Great Lakes localities, sightings vary wildly. While some authors (e.g. Bent) suggest that the kite was once a breeder in Northeast Ohio, little substantive evidence exists for this claim. In addition to possible unrepresentative numbers of kites in strong years for periodic prey, overemphasis of E. forficatus s presence is also possible because of the species conspicuousness and uniqueness

29 Well-known naturalist Jared Kirtland in 1838 penned one of the Cleveland area s earliest accounts of the Swallow-tailed Kite. Kirtland indicated that the kite had been a regular late season migrant to Portage and Stark Counties a few years prior to His lack of specificity on the year prevents our knowing whether the kites came in cicada years. Kirtland did clarify that colder years drove the kites to the southern portions of their range. It was already well known in the 19th century that the kites preferred southern climes for nesting. 6 Nature writer John Kirkpatrick was even less enlightening when writing on the kite twenty years after Kirtland. In his favor, Kirkpatrick was one of the few nature writers to mention the kite s iridescent color. Kirkpatrick also stated that the prairies of Crawford County were formerly a favorite place of resort. 7 Like much older naturalistic writing, that of Kirkpatrick s lacks specifics. The quoted passage gives no clue as to the month the species was seen, or if it nested in the area. Later in his article Kirkpatrick informed the reader that Kirtland had a Swallow-tailed Kite taxidermy specimen in his collection. There s no mention of this stuffed bird s presumed tag and its valuable information such as when the specimen was taken. Remains of Swallow-tailed Kites found at Midwestern archaeological sites provide clues but also raise questions. The famous Cahokia, Illinois site yielded complete femur and tibiotarsus (leg) bones. The bones date to a period of extensive trade. Is there any certainty whether the bones were from local specimens? Native Americans prized bird bones for crafting personal adornments. 8 While excavating caves in Ohio s Highland County, an area of extensive prehistoric remains, Harry Shetrone in 1928 found bones of the Swallow-tailed Kite. 9 He believed that proto-historic Algonquin populations collected the bones. In his 1932 report of Shetrone s excavation, Alexander Wetmore of the National Museum did not mention what specific bones were found. These kite bones dated to the period of extensive trade with early European explorers and the furbased economy. 10 Vol. 37 No. 4 One obtains early accounts of the kite s nesting habits from Charles Bendire, who published correspondence with birders and naturalists from all over the country. 11 An informant of Bendire had observed Swallow-tailed Kites in the late 1800s nesting in Beeker County, Minnesota, mostly in basswoods and thick vegetation near lakes. Another informant described a nest near Lake Minnetonka. While in the south the kites line their nests with Spanish moss, in Minnesota they were observed using local lichens for the same purpose. With this type of adaptability, there has been considerable debate on why Swallow-tailed Kites have not recovered their former range after passage of the 1918 Migratory Bird Conservation Act and other more recent efforts. While researchers acknowledge that they are still mystified by the continuing absence of nesting E. forficatus from much of its former range, there is no shortage of hypotheses. These include the tendency of the species to return to former nests and nest in colonies. 12 Newer research hopes to come up with more answers. Gina Kent, a Gainesville, Florida-based researcher, has placed transmitters on kite nestlings and conducted aerial telemetry. Her studies with GPS transmitters highlight pressures on kites from habitat loss beyond the nesting ground. She has found that two-thirds of North American kites gather in pre-migratory roosts in peninsular Florida and has concluded that these roosting grounds need to be preserved. In addition, the ecological health of Central America over which kites migrate needs to be watched. Thirdly the kites wintering grounds on the pampas of South America also need to be preserved. Presently these grass and grazing lands are being lost to large-scale soy and sugar cane growing. Pesticides from agriculture are damaging to kites and other wildlife. One solution is the expansion of organic cattle ranching on the pampas. Organic cattle raising is not only better for the land than crop monoculture, but is more lucrative for ranchers, making them less likely to sell their properties to growers. 13 Kent has also conducted aerial telemetry on kite nestlings fitted with VHF transmitters. The combination of VHF and GPS satellite telemetry 171

30 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 in Kent s research suggests a three-prong strategy for saving Swallow-tailed Kites; this includes the cooperation of private landholders, the timber industry, government and the non-profit sector : 1. Protect existing nesting sites: Discourage land sales of parcels where kite nests have been found Make agreements with timber companies not to log areas with high nesting density 2. Set aside the most suitable habitat Erect nesting platforms 3. Restore habitat. 14 Notes: 1 Audubon on the swallow-tailed kite, Quoted in Bent, Arthur Cleveland. Life Histories of N. Am. Birds of Prey Order Falconiformes (Part 1). Bull. of US National Museum 167 (1937) online version. Accessed 19 Oct 2011 at 2 Elegant as E. forficatus appears, one should not forget that it dines on other birds from mimidae to North America s arguably most beautiful songbird the Painted Bunting. While adult swallow-taileds diet mainly is insects, they primarily feed vertebrates to their young. 3 Kirkpatrick, John. Descriptions of the Rapacious Birds of Ohio in Thirteenth Annual Rpt. of Ohio Board of Agriculture; Kent, Gina of Avian Research and Conservation Institute. presentation of original research. Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, Brevard Community College, Titusville, FL, 24 Jan posts, 01 to 03 Jan Illinois Birders Forum, online resource. Accessed 19 Oct 2012 at 5 Cely, JE and JA Sorrow. Status of Swallow-tailed Kite in Forsythe, Ezell, D.M. and W.B. Jr. Proceedings of the First S. Carolina Endangered Species Symposium. (Columbia, SC: SC Wildlife and Marine Resources, 1979) 105; Meyer, K.D. and M. Collopy. Status... & Habitat requirements of the Swallow-tailed Kite in Florida. (Tallahassee, FL: Florida Game... Commission, 1995) page not noted. 6 Kirtland, Jared. Swallow Tailed Hawk. Second Annual. Rpt. of the Geological Survey of Ohio Kirkpatrick, John. Ibid Parmalee, PW. Remains of Rare and Extinct Birds from Illinois Indian Sites. Auk 75: (1958) The term proto-historic here refers to Native Americans whom archaeology has found to be in possession of European trade goods, while it remains unknown if the Native Americans in question actually contacted Europeans face-to-face. 10 Wetmore, Alexander. Former Appearance of Mississippi Kite in Ohio. Wilson Bulletin 44:2 (1932) 118. [The article also discussed Swallow-tailed Kite.] 11 Bendire, Chas. Life Histories of N. Am. Birds. Smithsonian Contr. Knowledge 25 (1892) 167ff. 12 Kent, Gina. Avian Research and Conservation Inst. , 12 Feb 2013; One recent source that articulates no known reason for kites not returning to a former range is Rowe, Karen. Reproductive Status of Swallow-tailed Kites in East-Central Arkansas. Wilson Jnl. Ornithology 123:1 (2011) 97; Meyer and Collopy (see footnote 5) page not noted, concur; Cely and Sorrow (see footnote 5) 42, and Rowe, pages not noted, mentioned that challenges from conspecifics slowed the reproduction process; Cely and Sorrow, provide a correlation between Australian pines and wind-damaged unsuccessful nests. 13 Kent, Gina. presentation of original research. Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. Brevard Community College. Titusville, FL. 24 Jan ibid. 172

31 Additional Resources: Goslin, RM. Animal Remains from Ohio Rock Shelters. Ohio Jnl. of Science 55: (1955) Coulson, Jennifer A. Intra-guild Predation, Low Reproductive Potential, and Social Behaviors that may be Slowing the Recovery of a Northern Swallow-tailed Kite Population. Ph.D. dissertation. ecology and evolutionary biology. Tulane University The Peregrine Fund webpage for E. forficatus. Accessed 19 Oct 2011 at Vol. 37 No. 4 Laura Peskin (ldeepclvlnd@gmail.com), an almost lifelong greater-clevelander, has contributed to Ohio Archaeologist and The Ohio Cardinal. Her writings have been linked to research websites around Cleveland including those of Shaker Heights Library and Bluestone Heights. In 2014 Peskin released her first book, Deep Cover Cleveland: 99 Little known things about Northeast Ohio (vol. I). Prior to her writing career, Peskin had her own business and later earned an MA at John Carroll University. The author acknowledges her debt to Gina Kent of the Avian Research and Conservation Institute, Gainesville, FL for her presentations and publications. 173

32 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer 2014 By Craig Caldwell YEARS AGO 10 years ago, the Summer 2014 Ohio Cardinal, Vol. 27 No. 4 (Bill Whan, Editor) contained these items: Jun rainfall was 130% of normal and Jul s was 140%. Three review species (Mississippi Kite, Black-necked Stilt, and Loggerhead Shrike) were reported. At least four Stilts were at three locations and one apparent nesting attempt was noted. Ohio s first known King Rail nests were documented in Prairie Oaks MP, Madison, and at Killdeer. Short-eared Owls nested at The Wilds. The CVNP Horseshoe Pond area hosted a nest of a female Blue-winged Warbler paired with a male Golden-winged. No offspring were noted. 25 years ago, the Summer 1989 Ohio Cardinal, Vol. 12 No. 4 (Ed Pierce and Tom Kemp, Co-Editors), contained these items: Precipitation was much greater than normal all season. Three Bald Eagles were reported. A Sabine s Gull spent all summer at Lorain, and Laughing and Little gulls were reported elsewhere. The cover photo was of the season s sole Black-necked Stilt. Wood hosted two Loggerhead Shrikes. Three locations held a total of four Western Meadowlarks. Tom Kemp listed his predictions for upcoming new species in the state. Of his top 10, Garganey, Say s Phoebe, Fish Crow, Mountain Bluebird, and Golden-crowned Sparrow have arrived. Brown Pelican, Royal Tern, Cassin s Sparrow, and Painted Bunting were among the next 15 on his list. 35 years ago, the Summer 1979 Ohio Cardinal, Vol. 2, No. 2 (John Herman, Editor) included these items: Three ospreys were seen, two of them in one location. The western Lake Erie shore boasted three Bald Eagle nests, each of which fledged one chick. One additional sighting was reported. One each Glaucous and Franklin s gulls dropped in. Observers found only one Alder Flycatcher. Three counties hosted Dickcissels. The Cleveland Bird Calendar did not publish summer editions 50 and 100 years ago. 174

33 Vol. 37 No. 4 OOS MEMBERSHIP Welcoming backyard birdwatchers and researchers in the field alike, the Ohio Ornithological Society is the largest statewide organization specifically devoted to fostering a deeper appreciation of wild birds, fellowship and collaboration in advancing our collective knowledge about them, and our ability to speak with one voice to preserve Ohio s bird habitats. We encourage and support important research on birds. We provide educational resources to members, the public, and the news media. We unite individuals and constituencies interested in birds, and provide means and reasons for them to cooperate. Our activities are not conducted independently, but in concert with local organizations whenever possible, and when mutually beneficial. If your membership has lapsed, we hope that you will renew your membership and be a part of this dynamic organization. O THE hio Cardinal THE OHIO ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL APPLICATION NAME ORGANIZATION ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP $15 STUDENT $35 INDIVIDUAL $50 FAMILY OR NON-PROFIT $100 PATRON OR BUSINESS $250 SUSTAINING MEMBER $500 BENEFACTOR Please note: To receive printed publications, please add an additional $20.00 to the Student, Individual and Family membership fees as listed above. Otherwise, all members will receive electronic versions of the Cerulean and the Ohio Cardinal. Yes! I would like to make a one-time tax-deductible donation to support the Society s development and conservation activities! $ DEVELOPMENT $ CONSERVATION Please make check payable to and forward to: OOS P.O. Box 2432 Westerville, OH questions? membership@ohiobirds.org Renew online at: 175

34 The Ohio Cardinal, Summer CUYAHOGA GEAUGA LAKE HOLMES TUSCARAWAS HARRISON BELMONT COLUMBIANA CARROLL GALLIA VINTON HOCKING MEIGS ATHENS MORGAN NOBLE WASHINGTON MONROE PIKE JACKSON LAWRENCE SCIOTO ROSS ADAMS HIGHLAND BROWN HAMILTON WARREN GREENE CLINTON BUTLER PREBLE AUGLAIZE CHAMPAIGN CLARK LOGAN MONTGOMERY SHELBY MERCER DARKE MIAMI FRANKLIN PICKAWAY MARION MORROW UNION MADISON FAYETTE DELAWARE COSHOCTON KNOX GUERNSEY MUSKINGUM LICKING FAIRFIELD PERRY SUMMIT STARK ASHTABULA TRUMBULL MAHONING PORTAGE ERIE HURON WAYNE LORAIN MEDINA FULTON LUCAS WOOD OTTAWA WILLIAMS SANDUSKY SENECA SENECA HENRY ALLEN HARDIN DEFIANCE PAULDING VAN WERT PUTNAM HANCOCK WYANDOT JEFFERSON CRAWFORD RICHLAND ASHLAND CLERMONT The Counties of Ohio

35 Photographer Christopher Collins was treated to the aerobatics of this Mississippi Kite and captured this quality image when it paused to preen in Clermont on 19 Jun. Instructions for Contributors The Ohio Cardinal would not exist without contributions from Ohio birders. We solicit sightings, notes on unusual observations, in-depth scientific articles, historical accounts, book reviews, essays, artwork, and photographs related to Ohio and its birdlife. Please refer to our website ( for general guidelines on style and formatting. Reports of bird sightings for each seasion are requested and should be submitted directly, by or postal mail to: Craig Caldwell, 1270 W. Melrose Dr., Westlake, OH Send digital photo files or links to Laura Keene: Deadlines are as follows: Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb) - 21 March Spring (Mar, Apr, May) - 21 June Summer (Jun, Jul) - 21 August Fall (Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov) - 21 December Back cover: A 19 Jul visit to Darby Creek provided Leslie Sours this pastoral summer image of a juvenile Grasshopper Sparrow.

36 The Ohio Ornithological Society PO Box 2432 Westerville, OH Contents Comments on the Season By Craig Caldwell Species Accounts By Craig Caldwell Contributors Recent Actions of the Ohio Bird Records Committee, Sept. Oct By Paul Gardner Did the Swallow-tailed Kite Ever Call Northeast Ohio Home? By Laura Peskin Years Ago By Craig Caldwell...174